Guides
Collector's guides
How to read the marks, the numbers, and the periods that define Taxco silver.
Featured · September 8, 2026
How to Tell If Mexican Silver Is Handmade: A Guide to Taxco Techniques
Before a mark tells you who made a piece, the metal tells you how it was made. Learn to recognize repoussé, chasing, champlevé enamel, stone mosaic and inlay, silver overlay, metales casados, and articulated construction in twentieth-century Taxco silver, through documented examples from the Museum's collection.
April 21, 2026
Reading Margot de Taxco's design numbers
A 5xxx number on a Margot piece identifies a design, not a specific item. Here's what the stamp actually tells you, and what to watch for when it doesn't.
April 21, 2026
Mexican Silver Hallmarks: How to Read Taxco Marks, Eagles and Numbers
Mexican silver hallmarks provide clues to a maker, a stated fineness, a place of origin and a registration era. Learn to interpret combinations without mistaking a stamp for proof of authenticity.