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| Mark | Meaning | Purity % | Parts per 1000 | Country/Region | Type |
|---|
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Download Free AppUnderstanding Silver Purity Marks
Silver purity marks indicate how much pure silver an item contains. Unlike British hallmarks that use symbolic marks (like the lion passant), many countries stamp numeric fineness marks directly on silver items. These numbers tell you the proportion of pure silver in parts per thousand.
For example, 925 means 925 parts pure silver per 1000 parts total weight, or 92.5% silver. The remaining 7.5% is usually copper, added for strength since pure silver is too soft for most uses.
Key Point: Numeric purity marks (like 925, 800, 835) indicate solid silver with intrinsic precious metal value. Text marks like EPNS, EP, or A1 indicate silver plate with no significant silver content.
Common Silver Purity Standards
999 / .999 Silver
99.9% pure silver
Also called "fine silver" or "pure silver". Very soft, used mainly for bullion, investment pieces, and some jewelry. Too soft for most functional silverware.
Common in: Modern bullion coins, ingots, some contemporary jewelry
958 / Britannia
95.8% pure silver
British Britannia standard. Mandatory 1697-1720, optional thereafter. Higher purity than sterling. Identified by Britannia figure hallmark in UK pieces.
Common in: British antique silver 1697-1720, some modern high-quality British silver
925 / Sterling
92.5% pure silver
The most common purity standard worldwide. Strong enough for daily use. British hallmark: lion passant. US marks: "Sterling", "925", or ".925".
Common in: Most silver jewelry, flatware, and antiques from UK, US, and many other countries
900 Silver
90.0% pure silver
Common in European and South American silver. Often called "coin silver" in some regions. Solid silver with good durability.
Common in: French, Italian, Portuguese, and South American silver
875 / 84 Zolotnik
87.5% pure silver
Russian Imperial standard. 84 zolotniks per 96 total = 875/1000. Marked "84" on pre-1917 Russian silver. Solid silver.
Common in: Russian antique silver pre-1917, some Eastern European pieces
835 Silver
83.5% pure silver
Common German and Swiss standard. Lower purity but still solid silver with value. Often marked "835" or with crescent & crown.
Common in: German, Swiss, Austrian silver
830 Silver
83.0% pure silver
Scandinavian standard used in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Solid silver, slightly lower purity.
Common in: Danish, Norwegian, Swedish silver
800 Silver
80.0% pure silver
Common European standard, especially Germany, Italy, Austria. Minimum for solid silver in many countries. Has intrinsic value.
Common in: German, Italian, Austrian, Portuguese, and some Eastern European silver
Regional Silver Marking Systems
United States
The United States has no official assay system. American silversmiths self-mark their pieces. Common US marks include:
- STERLING or STER – Indicates 925 sterling silver
- 925 or .925 – Numeric purity mark for sterling
- Maker's name or trademark – Major American makers like Tiffany, Gorham, Reed & Barton stamped their names
- COIN or COIN SILVER – Approximately 900 purity, made from melted coins (pre-1850s mostly)
France
France uses pictorial hallmarks rather than numeric marks for older pieces:
- Minerva head with '1' – 1st standard, 950/1000 purity (95%)
- Minerva head with '2' – 2nd standard, 800/1000 purity (80%)
- Crab's head, boar's head – Small-item guarantee marks (Paris, provinces), not purity standards
Modern French silver may be marked with numeric standards like 925 or 800.
Germany
German silver is commonly marked with numeric purity:
- 800 – Most common German silver purity
- 835 – Higher grade German silver
- 925 – Sterling standard (less common in vintage German pieces)
- Crescent & Crown – Traditional German mark indicating silver (usually accompanies numeric purity)
Russia (Pre-1917)
Imperial Russia used the zolotnik system:
- 84 – 84 zolotniks = 875/1000 purity (87.5%). Most common Russian silver.
- 88 – 88 zolotniks = 916/1000 purity (91.6%). Higher quality.
- 91 – 91 zolotniks = 947/1000 purity (94.7%). Rare, very high purity.
- Kokoshnik mark – Woman's head in profile. Assay mark used 1899-1917.
Post-1927, Soviet Russia switched to metric marks (875, 916, 960, etc.).
China
Chinese silver marks vary widely and are often unreliable:
- 足银 (Zu Yin) – Translates to "pure silver", often indicates high purity (990-999)
- 925 or S925 – Sterling silver
- 990 – 99% pure silver, common in modern Chinese jewelry
- Character marks or chop marks – Maker's marks, difficult to verify without expertise
Chinese export silver and antique pieces often bear marks that require specialist knowledge to authenticate.
Silver Plate Marks – Not Solid Silver
Many items look like silver but are actually base metal with a thin silver coating. These marks indicate silver plate, which has minimal or no precious metal value:
| Mark | Full Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| EPNS | Electroplated Nickel Silver | Base metal (nickel, copper, zinc) with silver plating. Contains no silver in the base metal. |
| EP or E.P. | Electroplate | Silver-plated base metal. Not solid silver. |
| A1 | Quality designation | Indicates quality grade of silver plate. Not solid silver. |
| Silver Plate | Self-explanatory | Base metal with silver plating. Not solid silver. |
| Sheffield Plate | Fused plate method | Copper sheet sandwiched between silver layers. Not sterling. Pre-dates electroplating (1740s-1840s). |
| German Silver | Nickel silver alloy | Contains NO silver at all. Alloy of copper, nickel, and zinc with silver appearance. |
| Nickel Silver | Same as German Silver | No silver content. Misleading name for a copper-nickel-zinc alloy. |
| Quadruple Plate | Thickness designation | Indicates multiple layers of silver plating, but still not solid silver. |
| Alpaca, Nevada Silver | Nickel silver alloy names | No silver content. Misleading names for copper-nickel-zinc alloy with silver appearance. |
Important: Silver-plated items can be beautiful and useful but have little to no precious metal value. Do not confuse them with solid silver marked 925, 800, or Sterling. If in doubt, have the item tested by a professional.
How to Identify Silver Purity Marks
- Look for numeric marks – Check the item for stamped numbers like 925, 800, 835, 999. These indicate solid silver purity.
- Check for text marks – Look for words like STERLING, EPNS, EP, A1, or Silver Plate. Sterling = solid silver. EPNS/EP = plated.
- Examine the location – Marks are usually on the underside, inside, or near the base. Common spots: base of bowls, back of spoons, inside of rings, clasp of necklaces.
- Use magnification – Many silver marks are tiny. A jeweler's loupe or phone camera zoom helps read small stamps.
- Cross-reference with other marks – British silver will have multiple marks (standard, office, date, maker). US silver often just says "Sterling" plus a maker's name.
- Test if uncertain – If you cannot find or read marks, have the piece tested by a jeweler or appraiser with an XRF analyzer or acid test.
Quick Tip: The Antique ID app can photograph marks and identify them using AI, saving you the manual cross-referencing. Use it as a first step, then verify with guides if the item is high-value.
Value Implications of Silver Purity
The purity mark directly affects an item's intrinsic value (its silver content worth). Higher purity = more silver = higher melt value per gram. However, antique value depends on rarity, maker, age, condition, and provenance, not just silver content.
Example Comparison (100g item):
- 999 silver: 99.9g pure silver
- 925 sterling: 92.5g pure silver
- 800 silver: 80g pure silver
- EPNS plate: ~0-5g silver (plating only, negligible)
A rare 800 silver piece by a famous maker can be worth far more than a modern 925 mass-produced item, even though 925 has more silver content. Always consider:
- Maker and provenance
- Age and historical significance
- Condition and craftsmanship
- Rarity and desirability
- Silver content (intrinsic value)
Related Resources
Sources
All information derived from public-domain and freely-licensed sources:
- UK Hallmarking Act 1973 (legislation.gov.uk)
- Bradbury, Frederick. Bradbury's Book of Hallmarks (public domain editions)
- Jackson, Charles James. English Goldsmiths and Their Marks (1921, public domain)
- Wikipedia articles on silver hallmarks and standards (CC BY-SA 4.0 license)
- Vienna Convention on the Control of the Fineness and the Hallmarking of Precious Metal Objects (1972)