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How to Check for Silver or Plated

In countries such as the United States and Great Britain, items classified as silver must meet a legal standard of .925 fineness, or 925 parts silver per thousand. Silver plate is a cheaper alternative whereby a thin layer of silver is applied by electrochemical means to a base metal body. Because silver is much more valuable than silver plate, it's important to be able to tell the different between the two. Luckily, this is relatively straightforward to do.

Instructions

- 1
  Inspect the piece for any marks. Pieces of solid silver usually carry an "assay mark" to show that they have met the legal requirement of .925 fineness. U.S. silver is assayed with the marks "Sterling," "Sterling silver" or "925." British silver has an pictorial mark called the "lion passant," which shows a lion striding along in profile. Pieces of silver plate are often marked with "EP" for "electroplated" or "A1" for best quality. (For more help with silver marks, see Resources.)
- 2
  Look for any variations in color. When silver plate is rubbed, it reveals the color of the base metal underneath, usually the pale yellow of nickel. This doesn't happen with solid silver.
- 3
  Examine the piece for any pitting or corrosion that cannot be removed by a brisk rub with a tissue. Solid silver oxidizes in the air, but the black sooty residue that this process creates can be easily removed to bring the silver back to its original mirrorlike sheen. When silver plate corrodes, the damage is permanent.

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