How to evaluate silver plate v solid silver

I have an item that is silver but would like to determine if it is solid (doubtful) or just plated. From what I can gather solid has a hallmark which this hasnt. Plated will attract a magnet which this doesnt. It was not made for public sale so maybe got under the radar in some way.

Any thoughts?

Reply to
ss
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I have an item that is silver but would like to determine if it is solid (doubtful) or just plated. From what I can gather solid has a hallmark which this hasnt. Plated will attract a magnet which this doesnt. It was not made for public sale so maybe got under the radar in some way.

Any thoughts?

Reply to
ss

Plated will only attract a magnet if the base material is magnetic

-brass isnt !

English (solid) silver will be hallmarked - foreign silver may not have any marks. You would have to use a silver testing kit on a scraping which is deep enough to get through any plating.

Reply to
robert

You *could* try working out the specific gravity of the item, if you've got scales and a liquid measure accurate enough. The problem is that differing grades of silver have different densities,depending on what's in the alloy.

Some foreign silver isn't hallmarked, just to add to the confusion. An expert might take a quick look at it and say where it's from, and what it's likely to be made of.

Reply to
John Williamson

If it's reasonably old, you may be able to see the base metal (often copper or brass) showing through high spots where the silver has been worn away by polishing.

Reply to
Chris Hogg

Archimedes solved that problem quite a long time ago.

Hallmarks have been required in England (later Britain), France and Switzerland for centuries. However, it is not a universal requirement and I have a gold watch that only carries the designation 14K, with no other marks.

Only if the base metal is magnetic. Sheffield plate, for example, is a laminate of copper between silver outer layers.

Colin Bignell

Reply to
Nightjar

Not sure where it was manufactured but was for a british company which doesnt really help. I have scales that measure grams but just a normal plastic measuring jug, however I could probably measure the overflow if I immerse in a jug thats level with water. I have some syringes that I used for filling ink into printer carts that are possibly accurate enough. The item weighs 164 grams. Should I be able to work something out from the volume displacement?

Reply to
ss

1980 no high spots. they were made for a company promotion.
Reply to
ss

EPNS doesn't, either.

Reply to
John Williamson

...

That reminds me of when my partner first came to Britain. She was bringing with her a set of solid silver cutlery, which would then have attracted import duty. The Customs officer, not finding any hallmarks, asked her if it was German silver, meaning nickel silver. As it was silver and she was German, bringing it from Germany she truthfully answered yes. He didn't charge her any duty.

Colin Bignell

Reply to
Nightjar

You might need measuring equipment better than what you've just told us is available. Nickel silver (8400-8900 kg/m3), which is the densest common foundation for silver plating is about 15% less dense than Silver (10490), which is one of heaviest common metals.

For the best volumetric accuracy, mark the fluid level on the container side without the item, add it, shake to remove any air bubbles, and subtract fluid using the syringes until the mark is reached again. Always measure to the bottom of the meniscus. Measuring the overflow from a full container is not an accurate way to do it.

Reply to
John Williamson

If it's that recent, then I would definitely expect a hallmark if solid silver.

If you have a spring balance, the sort used by fishermen, tie a bit of string to the item and tie the other end to the hook on the balance. Weigh said item in air (grams), then lower it into a bucket of water and note the new weight (I'm assuming there aren't any sealed cavities, for example a hollow base that's been filled with plaster or whatever). The difference in weight is numerically equal to the volume of water displaced, i.e. the volume of the item in ml. Hence its specific gravity is given by dividing weight in air by (weight in air

- weight in water). It won't be correct to many decimal places, but at least will give you an idea as to the density of the item and hence what it's (mostly) made of.

Silver 10.5 Copper 8.9 Nickel Silver 8.75 Brass 8.4 - 8.8

While the test as described may not be accurate enough to distinguish between the last three, it might at least tell you if it's silver.

Reply to
Chris Hogg

If you have a decent balance then weighing it hung in free space and then immersed in a jar of water is a nicer way to measure the specific gravity without having to measure volumes of water.

Reply to
Martin Brown

not necessarily., plated is usually brass.

in general there is a different sound to solid silver, it doesn't 'ring' like brass does.

And the hallmark should say EPNS if its plated somewhere.

Are there any markings? IIRC form some ancient antiques roadshow silver

- solid silver - cannot be legally made without a hallmark.

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

There are no markings at all but I do recognise the silver tarnishing and I have just polished it up (again) It was given to me by my company in 1980 as silver but cant remember if plated or solid. There was a gold version that was solid (I think I remember that out of jealousy) but we didnt qualify for them :-(

Reply to
ss

There are no markings at all but I do recognise the silver tarnishing and I have just polished it up (again) It was given to me by my company in 1980 as silver but cant remember if plated or solid. There was a gold version that was solid (I think I remember that out of jealousy) but we didnt qualify for them :-(

Reply to
ss

Take it to a decent buyer of gold and silver, where they will X-ray it to see if it's plated or not. If it's plated they'll hand it back, if it's solid, then they'll offer you a scrap price, which you can accept or decline.

There's a good one in Telford way, on a trading estate (not a jewellers/pawn brokers type place) which is very efficient and offers the best scrap prices.

Reply to
Road_Hog

Plated items are often marked "EPNS". Electro Plated Nickel Sliver.

You often find surface "blemishes" where the plating has (nearly) rubbed through. If no hallmarks, not likely to be solid silver.

Reply to
harryagain

Given that it's un-hallmarked and made as a one-off, it's probably only of sentimental value to you. I doubt that you can put any value on it other than it's simple weight in silver (if that's what it is). Just out of interest, why do you want to evaluate it?

Tim

Reply to
Tim+

An alternative if you haven't got a spring balance, but do have a digital balance, is to weigh the item in air (you've already done that, I see: 164g). Then put a beaker of water on the scales and tare the reading to zero. Lower the item into the water, suspended from a cotton thread, until it's fully immersed but not touching the sides or bottom. The reading on the scale will be numerically equal to the volume of the item. The specific gravity is then simply 164/(scale reading). But this method does depend on the scales having sufficient capacity to weigh the beaker of water plus a bit more for the immersed item.

Reply to
Chris Hogg

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