O.K. numis-nerds, coingeek has a trivia question...
coindeuce
Posts: 13,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
Anyone here recall the assayed fineness of the silver ingots(at or near 100 troy oz.) offered by the Treasury Department in the 1960's in exchange for silver certificates? I bought two of them earlier this year, and I've been offered another, but I've got a bad case of C.R.S. today 
"Everything is on its way to somewhere. Everything." - George Malley, Phenomenon
http://www.american-legacy-coins.com
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"Everything is on its way to somewhere. Everything." - George Malley, Phenomenon
http://www.american-legacy-coins.com
To support LordM's European Trip, click here!
May not have much to do with question, but interesting anyways.
FINE silver is 99.9% silver or better. This grade of silver is used to make bullion bars for international commodities trading. In the modern world Fine Silver is understood to be too soft for general use.
Britannia silver is purer than sterling, at least 95.84% silver and up to 4.16% copper. Its marks were Britannia and a lion's head in profile.
The Britannia standard was a standard of plate obligatory in Britain between 1697 and 1720 to try to help prevent British sterling silver coins from being melted to make plate. It became an optional standard thereafter, and in the United Kingdom and Ireland is now denoted by the millesimal fineness hallmark "958", with the symbol of Britannia being applied optionally.
Mexican silver is also purer than sterling, usually 95% Silver and 5% Copper. Mexico is the only country currently using silver in its circulating coinage, but these coins are not minted from 95% "Mexican" Silver. Much of the currently produced silver jewelry and other decorative silver objects made in Mexico at the present time are made according to the Sterling, i.e. 92.5% silver, standard, and are marked "Sterling".
Coin silver is 90% silver and 10% copper as dictated by United States FTC guidelines. "Coin Silver" is said to have acquired its name because much of it was made from melting down silver coins, which are generally of the 90% standard.
Coin Silver is lower grade than sterling. The Coin Silver standard was established in the US in the 1820s. This grade of silver was used in the silver coinage of the US as well as other countries that used silver currency minted in the US, such as Panama and the Philippines.
German Silver (Not to be confused with Nickel Silver, which is also referred to by this same term). Several silver standards are used in Germany, however, the most common standard for flatware and decorative silver objects is the 800 standard (80% pure silver). Hence, when the term "German Silver" is used, it usually refers to this 800 standard. Another silver standard in use in Germany is the 900 standard. German silver objects are usually marked with an "800" or "900" to show the standard to which they are made.
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