When settling an estate or cleaning out an attic, almost every Arizona family encounters the classic wooden silverware chest. Inside sits a complete 60-to-100 piece service of knives, forks, spoons, butter spreaders, and serving ladles.
The difference between solid sterling silver and silverplate is massive:
- Solid Sterling: Contains 92.5% pure silver throughout the entire piece. A full sterling flatware service often weighs between 50 and 120 troy ounces of silver, putting its market value between $1,500 and $4,000+.
- Silverplate: Consists of a base metal core (usually copper, brass, or nickel-zinc) coated with a microscopic layer of silver a few microns thick. Because the actual silver weighs less than a few grams across the entire chest, silverplate has virtually zero precious metal melt value.
The Rule of Thumb for Silver Stamps
In the United States, federal law has required solid silver to be clearly marked since 1906. If a piece does NOT say "Sterling" or "925", it is almost certainly silverplate. Fancy manufacturer names like "Community Plate", "Rogers Bros", or "Triple Plate" always signify electroplated base metal.
What to Look For: The Hallmark Stamp Guide
Flip over a fork or spoon under bright light. Near the top of the handle on the reverse side, you will find a tiny stamped impression. Here is what those stamps mean:
| Stamp / Hallmark | Classification | Precious Metal Content & Value |
|---|---|---|
| "STERLING" | Solid Sterling | 92.5% pure silver throughout. High cash value. |
| "925" or "925/1000" | Solid Sterling | International standard for sterling silver. High cash value. |
| "COIN" or "900" | Coin Silver | 90% pure silver (historic American pieces 1820–1870). Scarce & valuable. |
| Lion Passant (Walking Lion) | British Sterling | Official UK assay hallmark for solid 92.5% sterling silver. |
| "EPNS" or "EP" | Silverplate | Electroplated Nickel Silver. Base metal with negligible silver. |
| "IS" (International Silver) | Silverplate | International Silver's plated lines (unless stamped Sterling). |
| "Quadruple Plate" / "Triple Plate" | Silverplate | Four or three microscopic layers of plating over brass. No melt value. |
| "Silver on Copper" | Silverplate | Sheffield-style electroplated copper tea sets and trays. No melt value. |
| "Community Plate" | Silverplate | Oneida's classic consumer silverplate line. No melt value. |
Quick At-Home Tests for Silverware
If the markings are worn or hard to read, you can perform a few simple non-destructive checks at home:
1. The Wear-Through Check
Look closely at the high-friction contact points: the back of the spoon bowls (where they rested on dining tables) and the tips of the fork tines. On silverplate, years of polishing and friction wear through the microscopic silver coat, revealing a dull yellowish (brass) or reddish (copper) metal underneath. Solid sterling is silver all the way through; it will never show yellow or pink base metal.
2. The Magnet Test
Pure silver and copper are non-magnetic. If a strong rare-earth magnet sticks firmly to a spoon or fork, the item is steel or nickel base metal, not sterling.
Note on Dinner Knives: In almost all sterling flatware sets, the knife handles are sterling silver, but the blades are stainless steel for cutting strength. We evaluate and price knife handles accordingly.
3. The Warmth & Ice Test
Silver is the highest thermal conductor of all metals. If you place a small ice cube directly on a solid sterling spoon, the ice will begin melting violently as if placed on a hot skillet, and the handle will turn ice cold in your fingers within five seconds. Base metal silverware reacts much more slowly.
Never Polish Silverware Before Bringing It In
Don't spend hours scrubbing tarnish with silver paste before your visit. Heavy black tarnish does not hurt the value of solid silver in the slightest. We weigh solid pieces on certified scales and test questionable items with our digital XRF analyzer.
Free Silverware Appraisals at Arizona Coin & Bullion
If you have a flatware chest, tea service, trophy, or tray and aren't sure whether you have sterling or plate, bring the whole box to our showroom in Scottsdale.
We inspect every piece right on the counter in front of you. We separate any silverplate from the solid sterling, weigh the sterling on Arizona state-certified scales, and calculate the exact cash payout based on today's live silver market. Verbal evaluations are always 100% free with zero obligation.
