r/SilverFinds

Fiance and I decided to check one of our local resale shops after a quick visit to Goodwill and we made out like bandits! They don't usually have a lot of jewelry, but it turns out that it was because no one was taking the time to bag and price it all. We went through a couple of bins and found a bunch of sterling, pearls, and even a 14k gold lapel. We ended up paying a little over 260 dollars for everything after they applied their weekly 50% discount, but we found a lot of good stuff!

The platter is a trophy from the Chevy Chase Club 1967 Member Guest Tournament

Old religious tea caddy I think but has 3 unfamiliar marks. Goats head, dragon, and whale ??

Paid $180 for 725 g of 90% silver 1672 g of sterling silver by Oneida heirloom

And it was at one of those antique malls with all the different locked cases to boot, usually those are insane prices. 1812 Portuguese 400 reis silver coin spoon, and the handle is hallmarked Lisbon .833 silver from 1880s to 1930s. Snagged it for 22$ after a lil discount.

Picked this up from a yard sale. There’s no silver markings but I got it for super cheap so figured I’d take the chance. All six weigh 7.6 ounces. They look like they could be sober if anybody has any clue of the origin or if they’re legit, please let me know. They’re also not magnetic.

So spotted this in a local charity shop for £4, didn’t spot the Hallmarks, just liked the look of it as an early Danzig/Gdansk Souvenir spoon, as I’m walking back to my car with it flipped it over and spotted the Hallmarks.

This is what a bit of sleuthing and AI are telling me

Antique German .800 Silver Danzig Souvenir Spoon – Heraldic Crest & Motto Nec Temere Nec Timide (c. 1890–1930s)

Overview & Description
An antique continental silver souvenir spoon featuring the elaborate heraldic coat of arms of the city of Danzig (modern-day Gdańsk, Poland). The pierced and cast finial displays two lions supporting a shield with two stacked crosses beneath a royal crown. Below the shield is a motto scroll reading "NEC TEMERE NEC TIMIDE". The handle features ornate beaded borders and acanthus leaf molding leading to a teardrop-shaped bowl.
Heraldry & Historical Context

Location represented: City of Danzig (Gdańsk).

Coat of Arms: Two lions rampant act as supporters holding a shield adorned with a double cross surmounted by a ducal crown.

Motto: "Nec Temere, Nec Timide" — Latin for "Neither rashly nor timidly." This has served as the historic civic motto of Danzig since the Hanseatic period.

Period: Circa 1890s–1930s. During this era (spanning the late German Empire through the Free City of Danzig period), silver souvenir spoons were highly prized grand tour collectibles depicting major European trade ports and Hanseatic cities.

Hallmark Breakdown
The back rim of the bowl displays clear German control stamps:
800⁠**:** Indicates 800/1000 fineness continental silver (the standard purity for German silver flatware established in 1888).

GES. GESCH.⁠**:** Abbreviation for Gesetzlich Geschützt (German for "Protected by Law" / Copyrighted Design).

This indicates a design patent mark used extensively in Germany from the late 19th century through the mid-20th century.

National Symbol / Maker's Stamp: Adjacent to the purity mark is a crescent moon and crown (Reichsstempel) alongside the maker's hallmark symbol.

Possible Silversmiths
This spoon was produced in Germany for the tourist trade in Baltic port cities like Danzig. Based on the stamping style, casting quality, and distribution of Ges. Gesch. souvenir flatware, likely makers include:

1. ⁠Koch & Bergfeld (Bremen, Germany): One of the premier German manufacturers of ornate heraldic and city-view souvenir flatware during this period.
2. ⁠M. H. Wilkens & Söhne (Hemelingen/Bremen): Renowned for detailed cast crest finials and high-end export/souvenir silver throughout the German Empire.
3. ⁠Moritz Stumpf & Sohn (Danzig): A prominent local
4. ⁠Danzig court jeweler and silversmith who retailed and commissioned high-grade silver city souvenirs during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Value approx : £35 - £50 dependent on market sold to

Not bad for a unexpected £4 find

Gonna keep this and add it to my inherited spoon collection, think I’ve caught the silver spoon bug 🤩😬😜

Got a good haul from a local thrift store today!! Nothing too special but it wasnt a bad day!

I stopped at a garage sale this morning and found treasure! The spoons are coin silver marked "c.p. barnes and bro" and the knife is marked sterling. This is the best find I've had in quite a while.

Solved. It's Tibetan silver, which is a thin layer of silver coating.

Just me or or does it have a double s on sterling (ssterling)

I bought this off an eBay auction. No idea if it's silver or not. But I think the details are so pretty. Can anyone tell me more please ? It was selling as silver tone untested rather than silver. It was a charity auction so I'm not too fussed.

Won this in an auction but they didn’t have much info aside from “Russian 87.5% silver”. Altogether weighs 117g, looks like imported silver that was assayed in St. Petersburg from 1908-1926 (Greek alpha under the woman’s profile) although I’m having a devil of a time sorting out the other hallmark. Any tips?