Does anyone know about hallmarks? Is this silver? Or if not what and how to clean?

[Bluesheep8]

Is anyone any good with hallmarks?
I bought a set of cake forks from a charity shop and want to know how to clean and polish them. They are hallmarked,Are they silver? If so, how best to clean? Would any other metal be hallmarked? Any suggestions as to how to clean? Tia

Good quality silver plate, hand wash and dry.

Don't put in dishwasher, it makes them go black. Use a silver cloth if they do go black or once a year or so.

They're silver but plated, so go carefully.
Use a proper, for purpose silver cleaning solution as a bath.

Not the sofa crystal/aluminium foil method. That only works lifting tarnish on real silver and even then it actually damages the silver if done a lot. On plate it won't work and will thin the silver coating.

Sofa, I meant SODA.

EPNS is ElectroPlated Nickel Silver. It's silver plated over a base metal alloy made mostly of nickel.

A1 is the quality/thickness of the silver plating. A1 is "superior quality" but really the amount of silver used in the plating is quite minimal.

Not sure on the best way to clean. Just looked it up and in Internet suggests submerging them in warm water with bicarbonate of soda.

Electro plated nickel silver.
Line a bowl with foil (shiny side up) put a large scoop of bicarb in there then pour in boiling water, making sure all sides of the sliver has contact with the foil. You'll see all the gunk rise to the surface. Rinse and buff to a shine.

You lot are brilliant! Thank you

Please don't do the soda and foil trick. It works but long term damages the plate.

guyfawkes thank you...I will just soak in hot soapy water I think