www.925-1000.com

Hello everyone. I have an old Spanish silver medal of Nuestra Señora del Pilar. It has a mark of a rampant lion on its bail, and a mark of YB on its reverse side. My questions are

What kind of silver does the Spanish rampant lion mark signify?
Could we date the medal from the mark?
What does YB on the back of the medal signify?

Could anyone help me out? Thank you very much in advance.





Natsuki

Hi,
The lion mark was used in Zaragoza, Aragon province, Spain
This example is from year 1860.
Regards

Wow! How quick. Thanks a lot, indeed. Do you have a book or a website to recommend for the understanding of Spanish marking systems and their identification? Thanks again!

Natsuki

I can read English, Spanish, French, and with the help of a dictionary, German. Thanks again!

Natsuki

Hi,
Marks picked up from various sources and saved in my files.Cannot recall this particular mark.
Downloadable Rosenberg Der Goldschmiede Merkzeichen is very comprehensive source: three volumes for German silver, the fourth for ``Ausland``(foreign). It`s very old reference, but Rosenberg had access to important ecclesial and museum silver.The lion mark is depicted there with a couple of silversmiths (the coat of arms of Zaragoza).
Regards

I did not know the Rosenberg books. Your information on the reference is very precious to me. Thanks a lot for your kind help.

Does the shape of the frame denote the assaying or production year of 1860? The medal looks newer to me. Did not they reuse the frame of the same (or similar) shape after some years? I ask this because this sometimes happens in other sectors' marks, for example the year code of a manufacturer of watch movements.

Hi,
No precise dating is possible. To my knowledge the legislation of 1934 or 1935 introduced national hallmarking system (shooting star and pentagram).
http://www.925-1000.com/foreign_marks3.html
I suppose old system was used prior to that year. In short, the pendant could be XX century.
Regards

Thanks for your knowledgeable opinion. It helps much. Does anyone know the purity of silver the mark signifies?

Natsuki

Hello natsuki
Rampant Lion brand was used in Zaragoza throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It is very difficult to determine an exact date, I would say early twentieth but I assure you.
At that time the Spanish silver was 916 thousandths law.
The main book is Spanish silver marks "Marks Spanish Silver and Viceregal" A. Fernandez.
The image of the medal is the Virgen del Pilar, highly revered in the city.
If not prohibited, if so sorry, you can visit my site and see some contrasts over the Spanish silversmiths. http://www.munozarce.com/laplata/contrastes.htm


Hola natsuki
La marca del león rampante se utilizó en Zaragoza durante todo el siglo XIX y principios del XX. Es muy difícil determinar una fecha exacta, yo diría que es de principios del XX pero no te lo aseguro.
En esa época la plata de ley española estaba en 916 milésimas.
El principal libro de marcas de plata española es "Marcas de la Plata Española y Virreinal" de A. Fernández.
La imagen de la medalla es la Virgen del Pilar, muy venerada en la ciudad.
No se si esta prohibido, si es así lo siento, puedes visitar mi pagina y veras algunos contrastes mas de la platería española. http://www.munozarce.com/laplata/contrastes.htm

¡Muchas gracias! ¿Sabe Ud. la significación de la inscripción "YB"?

Natsuki