How Can You Tell If Silverware Is Real Silver?

You can tell if silverware is real silver by reading the mark on the back of the handle. Sterling flatware made in the United States is stamped STERLING or 925, which means 92.5 percent silver. Silver plated flatware carries marks such as EPNS, EP, A1, IS or the words silver plate, and it has only a thin coating of silver over a base metal. If you find no mark at all, the piece is most likely plated or stainless steel.

In Pennsylvania the difference decides how a sale is handled. The state's precious metals law defines precious metals as items containing or made of gold, silver or platinum, and county district attorney offices that enforce it spell out that this includes jewelry and silver services. So when you sell a sterling tea set or a box of sterling forks to a licensed dealer in Westmoreland County, the dealer records your ID, reports the purchase and holds the pieces unaltered for five full working days, the same as with gold.

What Marks Mean Sterling Silver?

A hallmark is a stamp that states the metal content or the maker. On sterling flatware, look for:

• STERLING or STER

• 925 or .925

• A maker's name with the word sterling, such as on American pieces from the late 1800s onward

• Lion passant, a walking lion, on British sterling

• 800 or 835 on some European silver, which is real silver at a lower purity than sterling

What Marks Mean Silver Plate?

Silver plate is a base metal, often nickel silver or brass, with a thin layer of silver on the surface. These marks point to plate:

• EPNS: electroplated nickel silver

• EP or EPBM: electroplate, or electroplated Britannia metal

• A1, AA, triple plate, quadruple plate: grades of plating thickness

• IS: International Silver, usually on plated lines

• Rogers or 1847 Rogers Bros: well known plated brands

• Nickel silver or German silver: contains no silver at all

What If There Is No Clear Mark?

A few simple checks help before you take pieces to a buyer:

1. Use a magnet. Silver is not magnetic. If the handle sticks firmly, it is not sterling. Knife blades are usually stainless steel even on sterling sets, so test the handle.

2. Look at the wear. On plated pieces, heavy use wears through the silver on the backs of spoon bowls and fork tines, and a yellow or gray metal shows.

3. Check the tarnish. Sterling tarnishes to a gray or black film that polishes off. Plated pieces tarnish too, so this test only rules out stainless.

4. Have it tested. A dealer can test the metal below the surface in minutes.

What Is Sterling Silverware Worth?

Sterling flatware is valued first by weight. Multiply the weight in grams by 0.925, divide by 31.1 to get troy ounces, and multiply by the silver price. Two details change the number:

• Knives: Most sterling knives have a thin sterling handle filled with another material and a stainless blade. Only the handle shell counts toward silver weight.

• Weighted pieces: Candlesticks and some serving pieces marked weighted or reinforced have a sterling skin over a filler. The silver is a small part of the total weight.

Complete sets in sought after patterns from known makers can sell for more than melt value to someone who wants to use them. Loose, mixed or monogrammed pieces usually sell by weight.

Is Silver Plated Flatware Worth Anything?

Not as silver. The coating is too thin to recover. Plated sets sell as used tableware, and most gold and silver buyers do not purchase them. If you have plated pieces you like, the best use is on your own table.

Should You Polish Silver Before Selling It?

You do not need to. Tarnish does not reduce silver content, and a buyer pays on weight and purity. Our post on why silver tarnishes explains what the dark film is. For what else qualifies, see what silver items pawn shops accept.

FAQ

Is EPNS real silver?

No. EPNS is electroplated nickel silver, a base metal with a thin silver coating.

Does real silver stick to a magnet?

No. A strong pull means the piece is not sterling.

Do pawn shops buy sterling silverware?

Many do, by weight. Call first if you have a large set so the shop can plan time to sort and weigh it.

Is a monogram a problem?

Not when a set is sold by weight. It matters more if you hope to sell a set for use.

Have Your Silver Checked in Greensburg

The Pawn & Jewelry Exchange has served Greensburg since 2005 and buys gold, silver and diamonds. Bring your silver and a valid ID to 206 E. Pittsburgh St. for a free verbal appraisal, and we will show you which pieces are sterling and which are plated. No appointment is needed. Visit our Sell Your Items page to see how selling works.

Visit The Pawn & Jewelry Exchange or call (724) 836-7296 today. Contact us for more information.