Sterling Silver vs. Silverplate

The Silver Assessment Challenge

One of the most common questions we receive at our Brea showroom is from clients who have inherited a heavy box of silver flatware or tea sets and want to know: "Is this real silver, or is it plated?" The difference in value is staggering. A true sterling silver flatware set can be worth thousands of dollars in melt value, while a silver-plated set of the same weight is essentially worth zero.

What is Sterling Silver?

Pure silver (99.9%) is generally too soft to be used for durable goods like forks, knives, or daily-wear jewelry. Therefore, it is alloyed with copper to create Sterling Silver. By definition, sterling silver must contain 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% alloy metals.

What is Silverplate?

Silverplate consists of a base metal (usually copper, brass, or nickel) that has been electroplated with an ultra-thin, microscopic layer of pure silver to make it look shiny and expensive. Because the actual silver content is negligible, it costs more to refine silverplate than the silver itself is worth. Therefore, silverplate has no secondary market melt value.

How to Identify Real Sterling Silver

You can perform a few simple checks at home before bringing your items in for a professional appraisal.

1. Read the Hallmarks

Look closely at the back of the forks, the bottom of the tea pots, or the clasps of the jewelry. Authentic sterling silver will almost always be stamped with one of the following:

• "Sterling" or "STER"
• "925" (indicating 92.5% purity)
• A Lion Passant (a specific English hallmark for sterling)

Conversely, if you see stamps like "EPNS" (Electroplated Nickel Silver), "IS" (International Silver - usually plated), "A1", or simply the word "Plated", the item is silverplate.

2. The Magnet Test

Silver is non-magnetic. If you place a strong rare-earth magnet against the item and it sticks firmly, it is absolutely not solid silver; it is a plated steel or iron core. (Note: some sterling silver necklaces may have magnetic clasps due to the internal steel spring, but the chain itself should not be magnetic).