Coins, silver and spoons have a long intertwined history. For several hundred years silver objects were simply another form of wealth. A person who had amassed more silver coins than they needed, took the coins to a silversmith who melted them down and made a usable object out of them. If economic hardship ensued, the reverse procedure was used and the silver objects were returned to coinage form.

It was felt that a silver object offered more protection against theft since it was more easily recognizable than a coin. Also it served a useful purpose whereas a coin could only be hidden until it was needed. Furthermore, it was possible to display ones "wealth" without simply putting a pile of coins in the cupboard. The value of the workmanship was considered secondary to the value of the metal.