Identifying an Old Ring Found Near Gettysburg: Is It a Historical Artifact?

Question
QUESTION: Hello,
i am writing to ask you a question about a silver or white gold  ring that is
very delicate. It has a very neat and creative design and after i cleaned the
dirt off of it, i noticed an extremely small inscription of what looks to be a
number. To me it looks like 825, but i noticed another thing, a little dot or
circle after the number, toward the top. Is it a real artifact and what do the
numbers mean? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Philip

ANSWER: Philip
The number on the inside is most likely 925 as opposed to 825 the 925 is the mark for sterling silver 92.5% silver,the other mark is most likely the mfg. hallmark
all the best
Les

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks Lee,
I dont think it is a 925, but you are right it isnt a 825. It could be 625, is that a
jewelry mark? And how old do you think the ring might be?
Regaurds,
Philip

Answer
Philip,

there are NO marks such as 625 or 825 that the closest is 925 in sterling silver, the age cannot be determined just from a mark or stamp unfortunately....
I would suggest taking it to a local jeweler who has a shop on premise and they will be able to clean the ring better and take a closer look with a 10x loupe..
all the best
Les