coin silver
- noun
- Archaic
:
plata de moneda
- The vase, marked 'pure coin silver', dates back to the 19th century.
Examples
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This antique pitcher is crafted from coin silver and is prized for its craftsmanship.
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Early American spoons were often made of coin silver rather than sterling.
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He collects antique forks crafted from coin silver.
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The coin silver used in the mint is of high quality.
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She inherited a set of coin silvers from her grandmother.
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Many collectors seek out pieces made from coin silver due to their historical value.
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The museum has a display dedicated to coin silver artifacts, showcasing their use in American history.
Synonyms
7
3.6
A metal made from silver mixed with other metals for jewelry and tableware
How Pure
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'silver used for making coins' is directly and compositionally derived from 'coin' (relating to coinage) modifying 'silver' (the metal), so the phrase denotes silver intended for coin production. This modifier+noun pattern is a straightforward, cross-linguistic composition that a B1 learner who knows both constituents can reliably infer without prior exposure.
Etymology
Coin silver comes from the simple practice of melting old coins to make spoons and forks, so the metal was the same silver used in coins. So 'coin silver' now means metal that is usually about 90% pure, the kind used for real coins.