posted on June 25, 2001 06:00:24 PM
Is there a way to tell is something is Sterling Silver or Silver Plated? I have some pieces that I feel sure are silver, but there are no markings on them. Thanks for any help.
posted on June 25, 2001 06:03:54 PM
Sterling silver SHOULD be marked .925.
If something is silver plate it may be much lighter in weight than sterling would be unless it is plated over solid brass, then it would be inordinately heavy.
Probably not much help, but that's all I can think of without knowing what type of a piece it is.
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posted on June 25, 2001 08:26:28 PM
There is a chemical test available to determine if an item is silver or just silver plate. If you don't want to mess around with one yourself, you may be able to fine a gold/silver buyer in your town willing to do it for you.
It's VERY unlikely that you'd have an item that is silver and is unmarked. Newer sterling items are usually marked ".925", or "sterling". (I've some very tiny items that are marked simply with an S in a circle.) Old items are often marked with a rampant lion.
Unless you've got a hand-made piece where the maker was lax about the markings (highly unlikely!), a really ancient item, or a piece imported from some odd foreign country, chances are your piece is silver plate at best.
posted on June 25, 2001 10:29:09 PM
Back on the old FX Collectibles Show (sob. . . I still miss it!), one of the appraisers said one day that sterling silver has a different smell from silverplate. I wish I could remember what she meant, but perhaps we could all sharpen our sense of smell on this by smelling both kinds until we're smart about it.
And. . . I've sold a lot of sterling, and it's always been marked. It does indeed have a different heft and weight about it.
posted on June 26, 2001 08:03:09 AM
there is a look to the sterling silver piece,either not tarnished (if recent) or not as tarnished as regular silver.
beware of unethical makers of silver jewelry,i know of one case in the states that the maker is being investigated for marking items as pewter and silver 925 when it is not so.
with foreign producers,they could mark it as ss 925 when it is not 92.5% silver,one jeweller found out the hard way when coming thru us customs without declaring its value,he was told by us customs expert that these are not ss925.
i think there are european silver which is marked silver but not 92.5% silver,i think it is more like 82 %.
in mexico,there is a metal which they pass as silver,it is harsher looking than silver.
posted on June 26, 2001 08:31:35 AM
You're so right about being careful. Quite some time ago I bought what I thought was a white gold filigree ring...marked 18K. Nope...the little devil was silver. Kinda gave it away when it tarnished...lol. They had it buffed to the max.
Now, there's a case where if I'd rubbed it hard with my thumb and sniffed it while it was warm from the friction...it would have smelled like silver. Just an FYI...silver plate smells like silver too, unless you rub it where the plating (which is silver) is worn off.
posted on June 26, 2001 05:09:46 PM
If you have a coin shop in your area they can tell you if it is sterling or not. They have the chemical to test it.
The shop in our area does this at no charge and is always very nice about doing it. They will also weigh it and tell you what the silver weight is worth, just in case you want to sell it to them.
posted on June 26, 2001 06:09:55 PM
in egypt,many shops sell gold cartouche which is gold over silver,and weighs heavy enough to fool the tourists.
what can you do?go back to egypt??
