How can I identify real silver from plated?

Answer 1

1. American sterling silver products made after 1850 are always stamped with the word "sterling," and sometimes also include the numbers .925, indicating the silver is 92.5% pure.
2. British sterling carries 4-5 stamped hallmarks identifying the company, the location, date of manufacture, etc. These can be matched with photos in the silver hallmark database. Similarly, American manufacturers employ hallmarks or sponsor's marks that can be identified by matching photos.
3. The first patent for silver plating was issued in 1840. Older pieces are sterling, although they may not be stamped as such.
4. Some of the early makers of silverplate flatware were Rogers Bros, Rogers & Bros. FB Rogers Silver, Wm Rogers, the Meriden Britannia Company, Middletown Plate Co. (Superior Silver Company) and others. Many of these names were used well into the 20th century. In 1898, this group of companies formed International Silver Company.
5. Some of the silverplate manufacturers also released sterling patterns, but these are stamped "sterling," whereas the plate is not. Many of the sterling pattern numbers are recorded in a database or databases.
6. Some of the stamps used to distinguish silverplated tableware are: IS (International Silver), IC, Brittania, EPNS (Electical Plated Nickle Silver), A1, Triple Plate, 3x, Quadruple Plate, 4x, Silver on Copper, EP, EP on Copper, and a whole host of initial and pictorial marks that can be matched with pictures in the silverplate database.
7. Myth: Silverplate is magnetic; silver is not. In truth, neither is magnetic. Stainless steel shows varying degrees of magnetism.

   Myth: Silverplate doesn't tarnish like genuine silver. In truth, both will tarnish, because both are genuine silver. The difference is, sterling is sterling silver all the way through; plate only has a thin skin of silver over a base metal. Stainless steel doesn't tarnish.

8. Silverplate has no scrap value. Even the thickest plate is only about .20mm (8/1000th of an inch) thick, and refineries won't buy it because the process of reclaiming silver from plate is too expensive.

Answer 2

925 is the Sterling Silver mark of purity. It can only be used for silver, never ever for plate. If it was asseyed in England for example it would also, by law have to be stamped with the Assey office mark, year letter mark, monarch head and lion marks and the makers mark.

Answer 3

It should be marked sterling. Please be aware that pewter, silver plate and sterling silver and other base metals will all tarnish with time, so that is NOT a reliable indicator of the composition of the item.

Answer 4

In the UK sterling silver is solid silver 92.5% pure and always had a hallmark with a leopard's head according to a statue dated 1300. In 1544 a lion passant became the mark of sterling silver, and the leopard's head became the mark of the London Assay Office. So look for the lion. A silver hallmark usually has a date-letter and a maker's mark as well as the lion and the mark of the assay office, e.g. for Birmingham it's an anchor.

Silver plate is marked EPNS (electro-plated nickel silver) or 'Plate' with usually other words and/or maker's marks.

Answer 5

1. American sterling silver products made after 1850 are always stamped with the word "sterling," and sometimes also include the numbers .925, indicating the silver is 92.5% pure.
   
   
2. British sterling carries 4-5 stamped hallmarks identifying the company, the location, date of manufacture, etc. These can be matched with photos in the silver hallmark database. Similarly, American manufacturers employ hallmarks or sponsor's marks that can be identified by matching photos.
   
   
3. The first patent for silver plating was issued in 1840. Older pieces are sterling, although they may not be stamped as such.
   
   
4. Some of the early makers of silverplate flatware were Rogers Bros, Rogers & Bros. FB Rogers Silver, Wm Rogers, the Meriden Britannia Company, Middletown Plate Co. (Superior Silver Company) and others. Many of these names were used well into the 20th century. In 1898, this group of companies formed International Silver Company.
   
   
5. Some of the silverplate manufacturers also released sterling patterns, but these are stamped "sterling," whereas the plate is not. Many of the sterling pattern numbers are recorded in a database or databases.
   
   
6. Some of the stamps used to distinguish silverplated tableware are: IS (International Silver), IC, Brittania, EPNS (Electical Plated Nickle Silver), A1, Triple Plate, 3x, Quadruple Plate, 4x, Silver on Copper, EP, EP on Copper, and a whole host of initial and pictorial marks that can be matched with pictures in the silverplate database.
   
   
7. Myth: Silverplate is magnetic; silver is not. In truth, neither is magnetic. Stainless steel shows varying degrees of magnetism.
   
   Myth: Silverplate doesn't tarnish like genuine silver. In truth, both will tarnish, because both are genuine silver. The difference is, sterling is sterling silver all the way through; plate only has a thin skin of silver over a base metal. Stainless steel doesn't tarnish.
   
   
8. Silverplate has no scrap value. Even the thickest plate is only about .20mm (8/1000th of an inch) thick, and refineries won't buy it because the process of reclaiming silver from plate is too expensive.

9. All of the above are true but to know if the antique is silver or silver plated, you will need to test it. There are electronic and acid testers on the market specifically for this purpose. If it is jewelry then you can ask a jeweler to test it for you. When using acid testers, it is advisable to test in an inconspicuous place on the silver, otherwise, the acid will ruin the finish of the jewelry if it turns out to only be silver plated. We at YearsAfter.com test our unmarked sterling silver jewelry and it takes about 6 seconds. It's very easy but if you are using acid, please be careful and follow the instructions.

Answer 6

If it is real silver a magnet will not stick to it.

Answer 7

Sterling silver is an alloy of silver containing 92.5% by mass of silver and 7.5% by mass of other metals, usually copper. 925 is a mark to indicate purity of the silver.