About

In the 11th and 12th century, in what we now call the British Isles, silver pennies were printed with a small star. A penny like this was called a steorling (most likely pronounced like “sterling”) in Old English, meaning “coin with star.” These steorlings were made up of 92.5% pure silver, with an alloy of 7.5% copper, just like sterling silver today.

Silver pennies weren’t always sterling, though; Henry II of England established this standard because those inclined to dishonesty would trim the edges of the softer pure silver pennies and keep the small pieces for later. Sterling silver, still a beautiful precious metal, was slightly more durable and discouraged this shifty habit.

Sterling is no longer used to make coins, but many recognized the advantage of a precious metal that was both beautiful and durable: two traits that are ideal in a favorite piece of jewelry.

Artist

Roberta and Talley Starbird are a mother-daughter team based in Austin, Texas. They design jewelry that ranges from the whimsical to the elegant, using traditional metal-smithing methods to create their designs. Roberta and Talley create jewelry because they love the process, finding it fun, exhilarating, and rewarding. They enjoy the beautiful and creative environment of Texas, and work out of the delightfully chaotic studio in Roberta's home.

Details

• .75" long sterling silver ribbon earrings
• sterling silver ear wires for a 1" total length
• TLC for your sterling silver jewelry