International is the company name, but whenever they use this marking, it’s not actually sterling silver. It’s silver plated, and mostly worthless. When they made sterling silver, or 92.5% pure silver, they marked it International Sterling. Sterling is a legally binding term.

What do the numbers stamped on silver mean?

Numbers like 10.15, 112, or 11/12 were stamped on the silver to indicate the percentage of pure silver in the metal. When the American silversmiths were first “discovered” in the early 1900s, most collectors felt that only the eighteenth-century makers were important.

What does an international silver mark mean on a silver plate?

An International Silver marking marks a piece of silver-plated silverware produced by the International Silver Company. The marks may take different forms, but they are interpreted the same but often consist of “International Sterling” or add “925” to indicate the piece was indeed sterling.

What do the markings mean on silverware?

Check out the silver markings on your silver and silverware, gaining a better understanding for how silver is mixed as well as how much pure silver you actually possess. The Federal Trade Commission has established a specific “language” that is standard to silver printed in the United States.

Where does the 925 mark on sterling silver come from?

In fact the vast majority of mass produced silver reproductions today, whether made in Thailand, India, England, Europe or America, now include 925 in the mark. With the 925 standard mark, a piece of silver can virtually be sold world wide with the same mark. The use of 925, however, does not preclude the use of sterling.

What is the meaning of the term Deep Silver?

“Deep Silver” or “Deepsilver” was a marketing term created by International Silver to describe a line of silver-plated flatware that had been specifically engineered to stand up better to wear than standard silver-plate.