what is coin silver spoons

[Myers]

Hello there! That's a great question about a fascinating piece of history.

Coin silver spoons are simply spoons made from an alloy called "coin silver." As the name hints, this material was used to make silver currency, like silver dollars. Silversmiths would often use these actual coins as their source material.

In the United States, coin silver had a required purity of at least .900 fine, which means it consists of 90% pure silver. The remaining 10% is typically made up of other metals, such as copper or nickel, which are added for durability.

This is a bit different from the more commonly known sterling silver, which is slightly more valuable because it has a higher purity of 92.5% silver. So, when you come across coin silver spoons, you're looking at antique flatware made from this specific 90% silver alloy, often dating back to a time before sterling became the universal standard.