Sterling Silver Coin Purse
These sterling silver coin purse selections span the Victorian, Edwardian, and George V eras, offering functional pocket elegance for the collector.
Sterling Silver Coin Purse
A sterling silver coin purse brings together precious metalwork and functional pocket accessories from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. These pieces encompass everything from compact sovereign cases to chain link cocktail purses and evening bags mounted with textile or leather.
Buyers searching for a sterling silver coin purse will most commonly encounter Edwardian and Victorian examples alongside George V pieces. Formats range from heart-shaped sovereign holders and double sovereign cases to mesh purses and small leather pouches with silver mounts.
How they were made
Silversmiths utilised sterling silver alongside materials such as crocodile leather, silk, and textiles to construct these accessories. Chain mail links, guilloche enamel, and petit point needlework were frequently integrated into the designs of evening and cocktail purses.
Birmingham and other regional assay offices stamped these items with hallmarks denoting the year of production and the silver standard. Mounts were often hand-chased or engraved, while internal compartments utilised silk linings or leather divisions.
Sterling Silver Coin Purse Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical asking prices for sterling silver coin purse among the pieces listed under this phrase on Sellingantiques today, from the lower quarter to the upper quarter. They describe what is for sale here now, not the wider market.
What varies in quality
Quality in these pieces rests upon the crispness of the hallmarking, the integrity of the silver mesh or chain links, and the preservation of internal linings. Finer items exhibit detailed hand engraving or intricate guilloche enamel work that remains intact without loss.
The precision of the clasp mechanism and the snugness of the fit between mounts and leather or textile bodies distinguish superior examples. Maker marks from notable silversmiths further elevate the standing of a piece within its period.
Charles Penny Brown·Aaron Lufkin Dennison·The Boots Company·Robert Cawley·G. Norman·Henry Charles Freeman·Wright and Davies·Ludwig Krumm
The Sterling Silver Coin Purse Glossary
- Sovereign case
- A small, pocket-sized container specifically designed to hold one or two gold sovereign coins securely. These holders often feature spring-loaded mechanisms or hinged covers.
- Guilloche enamel
- A decorative technique where a precise, intricate pattern is mechanically engraved beneath a translucent layer of coloured enamel. This finish appears frequently on early twentieth-century vanity items and mesh purses.
- Chain mail
- Interlinked small metal rings forming a flexible fabric used for evening and cocktail purses. This construction allowed the purse to drape fluidly while protecting the contents.
- Petit point
- A style of needlepoint embroidery executed on a fine mesh canvas with single tent stitches. It frequently appears on Victorian evening purses framed by silver mounts.
- Hallmark
- An official stamp or series of stamps applied to precious metals indicating the purity standard, the assay office, and the year of manufacture.
Sterling Silver Coin Purse: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a sovereign case used for?
A sovereign case was carried in the pocket or on a watch chain to store British gold sovereign coins safely during daily circulation.
Victorian and Edwardian gentlemen and ladies utilised them to keep currency organised and protected from wear before paper money dominated.
How do I clean a silver mesh purse?
Cleaning silver mesh requires extreme care to prevent individual links from bending or catching on cleaning cloths. Gentle dusting with a soft microfibre cloth is recommended.
Harsh dips should be avoided, especially on pieces featuring enamel, silk linings, or leather components that can be permanently damaged by liquids.
Were these purses meant for evening wear?
Many of the smaller chain link and guilloche enamel examples functioned as evening bags or cocktail purses for holding cosmetics and small coins.
Larger mounted leather and textile pouches served more utilitarian daily purposes while still displaying decorative silver frames.
How do I identify the date of a silver purse?
British pieces carry hallmarks that include a date letter corresponding to the specific assay office year cycle in cities like Birmingham or London.
Matching the letter punch against assay office charts reveals the exact year the item was officially tested and marked.