🔎 UNIDENTIFIED Can someone id the stamps in this ring?

[rotartiller]

Dug this in a field where a house was in the late 18's early 19's. Does anyone know what these stamps mean? There is a circled 14 ( could be I (eye) 4), then 3 stars, then a shield with either a 1 or an I (eye) in it. I know one could be an assayers mark and one could be a manufacturers mark. Can anyone ID these stamps. Photo below. This ring read as a screaming 38 on Nox 600 about 6" down. Silver reading I suppose since I have never seen gold ping that high. Hard to tell but, it could possibly be gold plated silver. There is some green patina/tarnish on portions of the ring.

 

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[ToddsPoint]

I don’t see any plating coming off. I hope it’s the real deal!

 

[ARC]

Gold filled / plated.... not solid gold.

 

[rotartiller]

Gold filled / plated.... not solid gold.

That's sorta my take as well. Not heavy enough to be solid. Signaled at 38 on the nox. The gold I have tested on has signaled around 4. Is that your experience as well? I'm thinking maybe gold plated silver. Do you have any idea as to the stamps meaning. The 14 is obvious. Someone on another forum state that the 3 stars also means 14k. No one as yet knows what the shield means. It is probably a manufacture's mark of some sort.

 

[rotartiller]

I don’t see any plating coming off. I hope it’s the real deal!

I doubt it is 14k through and through. The folks around here were dirt farmers back in the day with not much money for such a solid gold ring. Even so, the loss of this ring caused someone some grief a long time ago.

 

[Bucket Lister]

Does anyone know what these stamps mean?

Best I can suggest is doing an image search on jewelry makers marks database

It may take some time; there's a lot there to go through...

 

[jewelerguy]

Heavily plated copper ring. Basically the marks are pseudo hall marks meant to present the ring as something it's not.

 

[rotartiller]

Heavily plated copper ring. Basically the marks are pseudo hall marks meant to present the ring as something it's not.

I thought that as well when I saw the green tarnish. Is that why you think copper too? Never had copper signal a 38 though.

 

[jewelerguy]

I thought that as well when I saw the green tarnish. Is that why you think copper too? Never had copper signal a 38 though.

I've been a member of this forum for 13 years as well as a couple of other forums before joining here and have seen a LOT of nearly identical rings found and posted over the years. Some marked slightly different but all have one thing in common - the plating is worn off or very thin around the outer center part of the ring (normal wear) and also around the edges. They usually have a green crud or patina on the part that is worn through the plating. I have even found a couple myself. In my opinion they are copper, but could possibly have another alloy mixed in.

Most seem to be found in areas where the other finds typically date from 1890 to the 1920's. I don't know if the purpose of the plating was to deceive the buyer by ripping them off making them think they are paying for a solid gold ring, or if it was just an inexpensive alternative to buying a solid gold ring for those with little money to spare.

 

[rotartiller]

I've been a member of this forum for 13 years as well as a couple of other forums before joining here and have seen a LOT of nearly identical rings found and posted over the years. Some marked slightly different but all have one thing in common - the plating is worn off or very thin around the outer center part of the ring (normal wear) and also around the edges. They usually have a green crud or patina on the part that is worn through the plating. I have even found a couple myself. In my opinion they are copper, but could possibly have another alloy mixed in.

Most seem to be found in areas where the other finds typically date from 1890 to the 1920's. I don't know if the purpose of the plating was to deceive the buyer by ripping them off making them think they are paying for a solid gold ring, or if it was just an inexpensive alternative to buying a solid gold ring for those with little money to spare.

Great answer! Thanks! You pegged the year range perfectly. If the owner of this ring got taken, I feel sorry for them because they were probably a person of little means.