Article by David Moncrief
If you have plans to buy sterling silver as a hedge against inflation, to sell for scrap or to wear as fine jewelry, you should be aware that not all items marked silver are sterling. And, that some items marked silver have no silver content at all. Knowing the different names and marks used to identify various types of silver – and non silver – can be a valuable asset when evaluating items for purchase. It might also save you some significant money.
Bullion silver is defined as 1000 fine. Knowing this will help you understand the numerical marks found on pieces that use these numbers to define the silver content vs. parts of other metals added to silver for strength. The most common marks found are:
.999 (999/1000 considered the same as sterling).970 (970/1000).925 (925/10000 found on most ‘sterling’ jewelry).900 (900/1000).800 (800/1000 found on vintage foreign jewelry)
You will most often find sterling items marked with the word ‘Sterling’, the numbers .999 or if the item were manufactured in England, it may have the figure of a lion stamped on it. For hollowware pieces, some are marked ‘Sterling weighted’. This tells you that the base is not solid sterling, but rather contains filler material that has been covered with a thin layer of Sterling. This filler material is usually resin or Plaster of Paris. While this makes the item more stable for use, if you are buying an item solely for scrap silver, you want to take this fact into account when negotiating a price.
Sterling flatware has its own considerations. While spoons and forks are solid sterling, you will find that the knives and some serving pieces have filled handles much like hollowware pieces. If you are buying the item for personal use, this is of little consequence; however, if you are buying to sell as scrap, this is something very important to know.
Other considerations when buying sterling silver for scrap purposes is the implied value of the item with regards to artistic design, to gemstones that may be set into the piece or the antiquity of the item.
Almost all sterling will be marked; however, you may find items with marks that sound like they are silver – but are not. When silver hunting watch out for the following:
EPNS – Electroplated nickel silverSilver plate – base metal covered with silver platingGerman Silver – silver in color, no silver contentAlpaca or Alpaca Silver (found on some ‘silver’ imports) – silver in color, no silver content
None of these items are sterling and should not be purchased at the price of sterling; nor can they be sold as scrap. While owning sterling can be both aesthetically pleasing and financially rewarding having a good understanding of sterling and silver should be your first priority before setting out on your treasure hunt.
About the Author
David Moncrief an Internet marketer has been selling on line since 1997. In adddition to sterling, gold is equally desired for investment, scrap and jewelry. Find out what your gold jewelry is worth before you sell it. Calculate My Gold Jewelry Value