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How Can I Tell If Silver Is 99.9 Percent?

When buying and selling precious metals, it is important to know what you are getting. Testing items yourself eliminates possible deception by a third party and reassures you of the true value of your items. Test kits are commercially available from reputable jewelers and relatively inexpensive. Typically, 99.9 percent pure silver is used only in commemorative coins, medallions and bullion. Jewelry is made from .925 silver known as sterling.

Things You'll Need

Magnifying glass
Magnet
Test Kit

Instructions

- 1
  Inspect items first. Most .999 silver is either stamped or accompanied by a certificate of purity. While forged stamps do exist, they are rare. Coins, medallions or bullion from a reputable mint will be clearly stamped .999 silver. If no stamp is found and no certificate accompanies the item, it should be considered suspect.
- 2
  Use a magnet to test the item. Silver is not magnetic. If the magnet is attracted to the item, it is silver plated over steel or some other magnetic base metal. If the magnet is not attracted, the item still may not be pure silver; it simply means the silver is not plated over a magnetic base metal.
- 3
  Obtain a test kit and use it to test purity of the silver. File a small notch in the item so that any plating is removed. Place a drop of the acid provided in the kit into the scratch. If the acid turns green, the sample is plated over copper or some other base metal. The purer the sample, the clearer the acid will be. The acid will be a grayish color if the item is less than 80 percent silver.
- 4
  Engage a professional to assay the silver. An assay office can use advanced tools such as x-ray machines and fluoroscopes to determine the purity of the metal. This is the most accurate way to test precious metals, but if your item is small, the cost may be prohibitive. Check with a local jeweler to locate assay offices in your area.

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