Nice chunk of silver picked yesterday

[tamrock]

I'm working on my bathroom this week as I'm going to re-tile the tub area. I went to Home Depot to price a power tile cutter then went to Harbor Frieht Tool to see how much I could get a cheap China made cutter for (got the HFT cutter, can't beat the price on a 3/4 HP cutter I need for such a small job). I noticed a Thift store in the same shopping center as HFT so, how could I not take a look inside. Got this Mexican bracelet only says 'MEXICO SILVER' for twelve and some change. I had these before and I know they're real deal silver and very often higher purity then .925 as the Mexican Silversmith marks them that way so he can pay less duty on the silver he sells. He can say it's low purity by not marking it with a standard purity mark. I've read many Mex. pieces that even say .925 are very often higher then the purity they stamp it and are most likely .980 pure. It measure 1-1/2 inches wide and is 7-1/4 inches long. total weight 79.1 grams stone ar black glass... A very nice big and bold bracelet.

I also picked up a very interesting vintage sterling brooch with a makers mark and I can't I.D. that mark. I posted it in the jewelry forum in hopes someone will give me a lead to who made it. Let me know if you can tell me on who made this nice piece... Thanks so much!
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/newthread.php?do=postthread&f=175

 

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[frankendime]

I have found pieces that are marked Mexico Silver and dropped acid on it and NADA! That is, not silver. I still pick em up if they are cheap enough. They seem well made and craftsmanship still counts for something, in my book. You have handled enough silver to know, so great find. Both times...

 

[tamrock]

I have found pieces that are marked Mexico Silver and dropped acid on it and NADA! That is, not silver. I still pick em up if they are cheap enough. They seem well made and craftsmanship still counts for something, in my book. You have handled enough silver to know, so great find. Both times...

I've found pieces like this that are silver. That Alpaca stuff is like a copper zinc alloy that has a silver look to it and at time does state Mexico Silver, but I'll let you know on this. It sure has the look of silver with the blacken oxidation I could be wrong on it though. I do have pounds silver and have sold many pounds in the past. All types .835 alloy, French .950 and lots Chinese silver made of melted coin. I even got some Korean .750 stuff. This is one I call my better finds. That is the size of a real football. All 3.8 lbs 92.5% pure of it. Thanks Frankendime, I may have just got myself spoofed. I thought handling a few pounds of the stuff I should know what I'm doing by now...

 

[jerseyben]

Take it easy...

When I looked at your pics, I immediately thought it looked like Alpaca too.

 

[billjustbill]

Ben,

Now what does a 'silver' football trophy that's stamped Sterling go for in order to bring it home?

 

[tamrock]

Ben,

Now what does a 'silver' football trophy that's stamped Sterling go for in order to bring it home?

Not sure on that billjustbill, As for now it's only in my stash. Ain't selling the Au and Ag.now, just going to hide it. Last time I put silver up for auction "under the spot price" it had no takers. The scrap guys still buy, but not the folks on eBay. The was last item I sold on eBay that was silver was a pencil made of silver. It sold for $150 and it had maybe 6 bucks of silver in it. Go figure.

 

[etsmith]

Mechanical pens and pencils are quite collectible.

 

[jerseyben]

Ben,

Now what does a 'silver' football trophy that's stamped Sterling go for in order to bring it home?

Who are you asking? The football is not my find.

 

[tamrock]

It's Silver no question about it

Ok, As it was said one needs to observe a fair amount of silver in order to know the real deal over, plate and that nickel silver to pure solid silver. This is something I've done for many years now. I have also read much on the silver items from Mexico as I've picked over time pieces by William Spratling, Antonio Pineda, Fred Davis and a few other well sought after Mexican silver makers. Most marker are unlisted, but will still have value over the weight, depending how it looks and what it is. Those type pieces made of silver will be worth more then the weight of silver almost always. Silver in Mexico is abundant as corn in Iowa. I will say this bracelet did have a very thin plate of something to give it luster and most of it was worn off. It was the way it oxidized and color of the oxidation that gave me the clue it's pure silver along with how it was constucted by a person who works with pure silver and the weight of it in my hand. This I learn over the large amout of silver I've veiwed with my eyes and in my hands. The scrap fellow filed it, dropped acid, weighed it and offered $35.60 (45 cent a gram) for it, but I instead did a trade for a vintage wristwatch he had. In that deal I came out better as I collect those. If you'd like to buy the bracelet send me a note. It will be put in the case its sitting on in the photo and selling for more then 35 bucks. So the point is some silver is not marked sterling, .925, .980 or other type maker and purity marks ... It will just say, 'SILVER' and what would that be?... This wasn't the first piece of Mexican silver I purchase that was pure silver marked this way. Because of the way it was marked is why I got it so cheap.

 

[tamrock]

Take it easy...

When I looked at your pics, I immediately thought it looked like Alpaca too.

Nothing wrong here!, just a bit of sensitive fellings ya know?