What is American Coin Silver?
Most antiques-lovers are familiar with the term “coin silver” in relation to American silver articles, but what does “coin silver” really mean? Seems like an easy question to answer, right? Well, not exactly. Let’s think about it in stages.
When looking at a finished silver article, say a teapot, for instance, it’s hard to imagine what it was before it became round, with a lid, handle, and spout. However, that piece may have started life as a blob, ingot or sheet of silver. Someone had to take the raw material and work it into its finished form with fire, hammers, chisels, anvils, and a whole lot of sweat and elbow grease.
