Cutlery Silver (800)
Also: tableware silver, 800 silver, silver cutlery
Cutlery silver refers to solid silver cutlery with a fineness of at least 800 per mille (80%), which was especially widespread in bourgeois and aristocratic households in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Anyone who inherits an old cutlery canteen or discovers a heavy tableware set at a flea market almost always comes across the same mark: 800 – flanked by a crescent and crown. These hallmarks prove that the piece is made of solid silver with a fineness of 800 per mille, that is, it contains 80% pure silver. Cutlery silver is thus the most frequently encountered form of scrap silver in Germany and Central Europe and possesses a measurable melt value, which can be derived directly from the current silver price.
Origin and historical background
The 800 alloy became established in the German-speaking world from the mid-19th century as a compromise: pure silver (999) is too soft for cutlery and scratches quickly; sterling (925) was more expensive and native to the Anglo-Saxon world. 800 silver offered sufficient hardness for daily use and remained affordable for the middle class. The German Imperial Hallmarking Act of 1884 prescribed the crescent-and-crown mark as an official guarantee hallmark, which came into force across the board from 1888 – a system still recognised today.
In France 800 silver was known as deuxième titre (second title, 800/1000) – the premier titre there denoted the higher 950‰ alloy; Austrian pieces often carry the Diana head as well as the numeral 3 for the third fineness grade (800‰).
Recognising hallmarks
| Feature | Germany | Austria | Netherlands |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fineness number | 800 | 3 (third title) | 2 (second grade) |
| Guarantee hallmark | Crescent + crown | Diana head | Lion |
| Maker's mark | Initials + place | Initial + shield | Initials |
| Typical era | 1888–1940s | 1866–1922 | 1814–today |
If state guarantee hallmarks are missing, a manufacturer's mark (e.g. WMF, Bruckmann, Koch & Bergfeld) can serve as an indication – but is no proof of the fineness. In case of doubt, an X-ray fluorescence analysis or an acid test provides clarity.
Calculating the melt value
The material value of a cutlery piece can be determined in three steps:
Melt value = gross weight (g) × fineness (0.800) × silver price (£/g)
Example: A tablespoon weighs 70 g, the silver price is £0.95/g.
70 g × 0.800 × £0.95/g = £53.20 melt value
The current silver price in pounds per gram is provided by the silver calculator; the full result including purchase discount is calculated by the melt value calculator.
Solid silver vs. plated – the decisive difference
Many cutlery pieces look like 800 silver but are merely plated: a thin silver layer (EPNS – electroplated nickel silver) is applied galvanically onto a copper or nickel base. These pieces have no significant melt value. Distinguishing features:
- Solid: 800 stamp + guarantee hallmark, uniformly heavy
- Plated: stamp EPNS, 90, 100 (layer strength in grams per 24 spoons), WM, no fineness stamp
- Wear: on plated pieces the yellowish base metal shows through at the edges of the handle
Purchase and processing
Scrap silver dealers and refineries usually pay 75–88% of the melt value when buying 800 cutlery – depending on quantity, condition and current market. Complete, well-preserved sets by renowned manufacturers (e.g. Bruckmann, Rückert, Pott) often achieve considerably more than the pure material value on the collector and auction market; here a comparison between melt proceeds and dealer value pays off.
Tax classification
When selling cutlery silver from private ownership, a taxable disposal may arise. In the United Kingdom, silver cutlery is not VAT-exempt investment gold; silver is generally subject to 20% VAT on purchase. On disposal, any chargeable gain is assessed for Capital Gains Tax as the difference between disposal proceeds and acquisition cost, subject to the annual exempt amount. There is no German-style one-year speculation period. Household chattels sold for £6,000 or less per set may fall within the CGT chattels exemption.
When buying commercially from private hands a dealer may apply the margin scheme (VAT Notice 718), so that VAT only falls on the trading margin.
Not tax or investment advice – for binding information please consult an accountant.
In brief
Cutlery silver with the 800 stamp is solid silver from the bourgeois tableware era and possesses a clearly calculable material value. Anyone who knows the weight, fineness and the day's current silver price can determine the melt value in seconds – and then decides whether melting down or resale is the better choice.