Mexican Silver

As the name suggests, it is silver from Mexico.  Hecho en Mexico – made in Mexico.

From the early days of Aztecs and Spanish explorers, Mexico was rich in silver.  During the Mexican War Of Independence (1810-1821), the mines were destroyed and the art of silverwork died out for some time.  In the early 1900s there was a resurgence of Mexican silversmithing, and Mexico was returned to its former glory of being a world leader in silvercraft.

MEXICAN SILVER HALLMARKS

Roughly speaking, Mexican silver markings can be dated as follows –

• 1900-1920 – marked 900
• 1920-1940 – marked Mexico Silver, or Hecho en Mexico, or Silver Made in Mexico (commonly .925 purity)
• 1930-1945 – marked 980, 960, 940, 925
• 1948-1955 – eagle logo (with detailed markings), required by government
• 1950 onwards – marked Sterling
• 1955-1979 – eagle logo (silhouette outline), required by government
• 1979 onwards – letter/number mark

A number on the eagle’s chest signifies the city of assay or the individual maker.

The letter/number mark, introduced in 1979, replaced the eagle logo.  The first letter refers to the location (eg. T for Taxco, M for Mexico City, G for Guadalajara, C for Cuernavaca).  The second letter refers to the maker’s surname.  And the number further defines the maker.  Eg. a mark of TC-45 means your item was made by the 45th artisan with a surname starting with C, to register in the city of Taxco after 1979.  Unfortunately, there is no list to match numbers with names, and there are only a small number that have been identified.

 
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