German Silver is NOT Sterling Silver

Last night my significant other was watching an episode of Storage Wars on A&E when a segment featuring antique purses came on. I watched over his shoulder as an "expert" told one of the shows buyers, Dave Hester, that an 1890s (she got the date right) purse was sterling silver and worth $450. Well, it was marked German silver and that's not sterling. You'd be hard pressed to get $450 for it, too. The point here? Enjoy those shows for entertainment value if they amuse you, but don't believe everything you see and hear on "antiques" television. Read more...