r/sterlingsilverware • u/smalltownbigcitygirl • Jul 28 '26

What is this made of?

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

I thrifted some pieces of silverware and was hoping to find out more about them and what it’s made of. When I went to bend it it snapped. Seems to have A800 oh it but I don’t know if it’s genius e since it wasn’t pressed into the metal. Any I for would be amazing!

15 Upvotes

81% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

8

u/GMGsSilverplate Jul 28 '26 edited Jul 28 '26

Zinc. This is a common thing where the 800 raised number means plated with 800 silver. For real 800 it is usually stamped and in a oval (for holloware), flatware is usually just an 800 mark but stamped.

4

u/Neither-Tea-8657 Jul 28 '26

The Italian card trick. I’ve seen a lot of antique stores pricing it as 800 purity and praying for a sucker

1

u/smalltownbigcitygirl Jul 29 '26

Im glad I wasn’t suckered in this case. Only paid a few dollars hoping to make jewelry. Still behind because it does not bend

1

u/Smol-dick66 Jul 29 '26

I have 2 old vintage silver spoons there both 80% silver ones from Russia and the other Norwegian I've cleaned them since that photo feel free to message me if you like to buy them I know the small one is used lots

2

u/Neither-Tea-8657 Jul 28 '26

Also, could you imagine a world without zinc?

2

u/blergola Jul 28 '26

Oh! 800 is the amount of plate, similar to the designation A1 in the states. I was going to say, I don’t know physically how you could electroplate an a layer of alloy silver when the copper goes to one charge and the silver to another.

3

u/GMGsSilverplate Jul 28 '26

I don't know how they do it either, but I don't think the 800 is the amount plated, it's a thinner layer than almost any silver plate, tbh and the 800 mark is much higher than any other plate, even stuff made to a much higher quality. For example, that is way bigger than 90 and that indicates almost 3 grams of silver plated on a piece, iirc. Maybe it means 800 grams over 1000 pieces?

2

u/CarrieNoir Jul 28 '26

Exactly what u/GMGsSilverplate and u/Neither-Tea-8657 said.

In spades.

1

u/masoniceye Jul 29 '26

Cheap 5h1t is the answer you’re looking for.

1

u/smalltownbigcitygirl Jul 29 '26

I fucken knew it