What Is Sterling Silver?
Sterling silver is a metal alloy composed of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metals — most commonly copper, which adds durability without significantly compromising the silver content. The "92.5%" purity is why you see the ".925" mark on sterling pieces.
Sterling silver is solid silver all the way through. Every ounce of a sterling piece contains 0.925 troy ounces of pure silver — which has real monetary value based on the current silver market price.
What Is Silver Plate?
Silver-plated items are made from a base metal — usually copper, nickel silver (an alloy containing no actual silver), or britannia metal — coated with a very thin layer of pure silver through an electroplating process.
The silver coating is typically measured in microns. Even high-quality silver plate contains only a tiny fraction of an ounce of actual silver per piece — far too little to have meaningful metal value. A full set of silver-plated flatware might contain a few grams of actual silver total.
How to Tell Them Apart
Sterling Silver Marks
- ✓ .925 or 925
- ✓ Sterling
- ✓ Ster or Stg
- ✓ Lion Passant (British)
- ✓ 800 or 830 (European)
Silver Plate Marks
- ✗ EPNS
- ✗ EP or E.P.
- ✗ Silver Plate
- ✗ EPBM
- ✗ A1 or Triple Plate
- ✗ Rogers, 1847 Rogers Bros.
- ✗ Community Plate
Use a magnifying glass and good lighting. The marks are usually on the back of flatware handles, the underside of serving pieces, or inside jewelry bands and on clasps.
Visual Clues
On older silver-plated pieces, the plating often wears away at high-contact points — tips of spoon bowls, knife edges, and the backs of fork tines — revealing the reddish copper or yellowish metal underneath. This "copper-showing" is a clear sign of silver plate.
Sterling silver does not wear through to reveal another metal. The color remains consistent throughout, even at wear points.
Common Brands: Sterling vs. Plate
Sterling Silver Brands
- Gorham (Sterling line)
- Towle (Sterling line)
- Reed & Barton (Sterling line)
- Wallace (Sterling line)
- Tiffany & Co.
- Georg Jensen
- Kirk Stieff
Silver Plate Brands
- 1847 Rogers Bros.
- Community (Oneida)
- Holmes & Edwards
- WM Rogers & Son
- National Silver Co.
- International Silver (plate line)
Note: Several manufacturers (Gorham, Wallace, Reed & Barton, International) produced both sterling and silver-plated lines under the same brand name. Always check the mark on the individual piece — the brand alone does not confirm sterling.
Does Silver Plate Have Any Value?
Silver-plated items generally do not have significant resale value as silver. The actual silver content is negligible. However, silver-plated pieces — especially antique items from well-known makers, pieces in exceptional condition, or decorative objects of historical interest — can have some collectible or antique value independent of their metal content.
If you're unsure whether what you have is sterling or silver-plated, bring it in. We'll identify it for you at no cost and with no obligation to sell.
Have Sterling Silver? We Buy It.
If you have confirmed sterling silver, Malpass, Inc. is ready to make you a fair offer. We purchase flatware, jewelry, serving items, coins, Silver Eagles, and bars — licensed and bonded, by appointment.
Local customers are welcome to come in by appointment. If you are outside the area, you can also ship your items to us for evaluation and pricing — we buy from customers across the entire United States.
Malpass, Inc. · Chesapeake, VA
Licensed & Bonded · Nationwide Buying