FraudHawk buyer protection · Silver
Read the small words before you buy silver.
Nickel silver has no silver. EPNS is plate. “Miao silver” is not a purity standard. This field guide translates the euphemisms, abbreviations, coatings, and look-alike names that can turn a bargain into base metal.
One rule worth remembering
Read the whole phrase—not the shiniest word.
If silver is followed by plate, plated, clad, bonded, on copper, nickel, German, Alpaca, or another qualifier, you are not looking at an object made throughout of silver.
The ten-second triage
If you see these, stop and read again.
These marks are not necessarily dishonest. They are warnings that the object is not made throughout of silver. The rip-off happens when the seller lets you believe otherwise.
EPEPSEPNSElectroplate abbreviations
A thin silver coating over base metal. EPNS is electroplated nickel silver; EPBM is electroplated Britannia metal; EPC is commonly electroplate on copper.
Do not pay a solid-silver price.Silver plateSilver platedSilver on copperThe surface is silver
The words describe a coating or outer layer, not an article made throughout of silver.
Buy only for utility, design, or antique value—not melt value.A1AATriple platePlate grade or marketing language
These terms can describe the quality, intended durability, or grade of silverplate. They are not silver fineness numbers.
Treat as plate unless an independent precious-metal hallmark says otherwise.Silver solderedHard solderedA construction method
Often found on commercial or hotel hollowware. It refers to how joints were made, not to a solid-silver body.
Look for a separate sterling or fineness mark; otherwise assume base metal or plate.Nickel silverGerman silverAlpacaSilver-colored base-metal alloy
Usually copper, nickel, and zinc. Despite the name, nickel silver contains no silver.
Walk away if the price assumes precious-metal content.NeusilberArgentanMaillechortOther names related to nickel silver
European and historical names for silver-colored copper alloys, commonly with nickel and zinc; the name is not a silver-purity claim.
Do not value as silver without a separate verified fineness mark.Know what is under the surface
The silver construction ladder
- 01 · Throughout
Fine or sterling silver
Silver alloy makes up the object’s body. Fineness states how many parts per 1,000 are silver.
- 02 · Surface
Silver plate or overlay
A silver layer covers a base-metal body. Wear can expose copper, brass, nickel silver, or another substrate.
- 03 · Look-alike
Nickel silver and trade names
A silvery base-metal alloy or style name can contain no silver at all. Color is not composition.
The ounce changes systems
Convert the scale before pricing the silver.
A troy ounce is heavier than the ordinary avoirdupois ounce used for household weights. If a listing gives pounds and ounces without saying “troy,” treat them as ordinary weight and convert to grams first.
Sixteen avoirdupois ounces make one ordinary pound. This is the system behind a listing such as “1 lb 10 oz.”
A troy ounce is about 9.7% heavier. Twelve troy ounces make a troy pound, although bullion prices are normally quoted per troy ounce.
Do not stop at the conversion. Cement, pitch, plaster, steel blades, glass, stones, and other filling can contribute to gross weight. Only apply a metal price to verified precious-metal weight: fine troy oz = net metal grams × fineness ÷ 31.1034768.
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The mark dictionary
Marks identify a claim or construction; they do not authenticate themselves. Context, maker, country, date, and testing still matter.
EPEPSEPNSEPBMEPCElectroplate abbreviations
A thin silver coating over base metal. EPNS is electroplated nickel silver; EPBM is electroplated Britannia metal; EPC is commonly electroplate on copper.
Do not pay a solid-silver price.Silver plateSilver platedSilver on copperSilver cladThe surface is silver
The words describe a coating or outer layer, not an article made throughout of silver.
Buy only for utility, design, or antique value—not melt value.A1AATriple plateQuadruple plateHotel platePlate grade or marketing language
These terms can describe the quality, intended durability, or grade of silverplate. They are not silver fineness numbers.
Treat as plate unless an independent precious-metal hallmark says otherwise.Silver solderedHard solderedA construction method
Often found on commercial or hotel hollowware. It refers to how joints were made, not to a solid-silver body.
Look for a separate sterling or fineness mark; otherwise assume base metal or plate.Nickel silverGerman silverAlpacaAlpaccaSilver-colored base-metal alloy
Usually copper, nickel, and zinc. Despite the name, nickel silver contains no silver.
Walk away if the price assumes precious-metal content.NeusilberArgentanMaillechortPakfong / PaktongOther names related to nickel silver
European and historical names for silver-colored copper alloys, commonly with nickel and zinc; the name is not a silver-purity claim.
Do not value as silver without a separate verified fineness mark.Miao silverTibetan silverBali silverMexican silverStyle, origin, or trade description—not a fineness standard
Composition varies. Some pieces contain silver; many modern souvenir or costume pieces are base metal or plated. The phrase alone proves nothing.
Require a numeric fineness, accountable seller, and test for an expensive purchase.925.925SterlingSter.A sterling-silver claim
In U.S. guidance, sterling means at least 925 parts silver per 1,000. A stamp is a claim, not laboratory proof.
Promising mark—then verify the maker, provenance, wear, and price.999.999Fine silverA fine-silver claim
Generally presented as 999 parts silver per 1,000. Fine silver is softer than sterling and common in bullion and some artisan work.
Verify weight, dimensions, maker, and authenticity—especially for bullion.900Coin silverA 900-fineness claim in U.S. usage
FTC guidance says an item described as coin silver must be at least 900 parts silver per 1,000. Historical and foreign usage can differ.
Research the place, period, and maker before assigning value.800830835900925950958999Common millesimal fineness numbers
The number claims parts of silver per 1,000. Which standards are legal or customary depends on jurisdiction and date.
Use the whole hallmark—not the number alone—to identify country, assay office, and maker.Good signs, not a guarantee
What a reassuring silver mark looks like
A credible mark states fineness and, where the country’s system uses them, identifies the maker or sponsor and assay authority. A bare 925 stamped into an anonymous bargain is only a claim.
Same number, different system
Who stands behind the stamp?
The useful divide is not “rules” versus “no rules.” It is whether an assay office verified the piece before sale, or a maker made a claim that regulators may inspect later. Rules also follow the market where the item is sold—not just the country named in a listing.
Maker-backed quality claim
United States
- What to look for
- A silver quality mark such as 925 or sterling must be accompanied by the name or U.S.-registered trademark of the business that stands behind it.
- Who verifies it
- There is no routine federal assay-office test before a maker applies the mark. The stamp is the seller’s or maker’s legally accountable claim, not a government certificate.
- Enforcement in practice
- The National Gold and Silver Stamping Act restricts false quality marks, and the FTC treats deceptive metal-content claims as unfair or deceptive marketing. Consumers can report a seller to the FTC and a state attorney general.
- Your move
- A lone 925 with no accountable name is weaker evidence. Match the responsibility mark, receipt, seller identity, weight, and test results before paying melt-based prices.
Independent assay before sale
United Kingdom
- What to look for
- A complete domestic hallmark has a sponsor’s mark, a millesimal fineness mark, and an assay-office mark. The date letter is optional.
- Who verifies it
- Silver described and sold as silver generally must be independently tested and hallmarked when it weighs more than 7.78 g. Exempt weight does not make a false description lawful.
- Enforcement in practice
- Local Trading Standards enforce the Hallmarking Act. A 2025 London operation visited 311 retailers, issued more than 200 warnings, seized more than £250,000 of unhallmarked silver and gold, and reported four active prosecutions.
- Your move
- For a qualifying modern piece, find all three compulsory marks and identify the assay office. Do not mistake a bare 925 for a complete U.K. hallmark.
Registered maker responsibility
Italy
- What to look for
- Solid silver normally carries its millesimal fineness—legal standards include 800 and 925—plus a registered identification mark with a star, maker number, and province letters.
- Who verifies it
- Routine independent assay is not the default. Chambers of commerce register identification marks and may inspect and sample goods; an independently tested Common Control Mark is a separate, voluntary route.
- Enforcement in practice
- Chamber inspectors can make unannounced visits and sample finished goods. Italian chamber guidance says a fineness number by itself is irregular and leaves no identified business responsible for the claim.
- Your move
- Read the shape and letters around the number. An oval fineness mark plus the star-number-province identity is very different from an isolated 800 or 925.
Mandatory standard plus market surveillance
China
- What to look for
- For precious-metal jewelry, the mark identifies the manufacturer and the material and purity; S925 is a recognized silver form. Very small or thin pieces may carry the required information on an attached label instead.
- Who verifies it
- GB 11887-2012 is a current mandatory national standard for jewelry fineness and naming. This is not the U.K. assay-office model: the product mark is not, by itself, proof that an independent authority tested that individual piece.
- Enforcement in practice
- Market regulators conduct sampling and testing. In 2026, China’s national market regulator and police announced a joint campaign targeting fake precious-metal goods, certificates, laboratories, websites, and livestream marketing.
- Your move
- Check the complete mark and Chinese label, the seller’s identity, and any test report’s CMA credentials and item match. Treat an anonymous S925 on an export listing as a claim that still needs verification.
Scope matters: these are current buyer-facing summaries, not a universal hallmark registry. Jewelry, flatware, hollowware, artwork, antiques, coins, bullion, imports, low-weight pieces, and private transactions can fall under different rules or exemptions. A legally formatted mark still does not prove the mark itself is genuine.
The qualifier may be in another language
Foreign words that change the deal
These are practical search terms, not a country-by-country hallmark registry. Spelling, grammar, abbreviations, and legal definitions vary; use the complete mark and its jurisdiction.
| Language | Words to notice | Usually signals |
|---|---|---|
| Spanish | plateado · baño de plata · alpaca | silver-plated / silver bath · nickel silver |
| French | argenté · métal argenté · maillechort | silver-plated · silvered metal · nickel silver |
| German | versilbert · Neusilber · Alpaka | silver-plated · nickel silver · alpaca alloy |
| Italian | argentato · alpacca | silver-plated · nickel silver |
| Portuguese | prateado · banho de prata | silver-plated · silver bath |
| Dutch | verzilverd · alpaca | silver-plated · nickel silver |
| Swedish | försilvrad · nysilver | silver-plated · nickel silver |
| Danish | forsølvet · nysølv | silver-plated · nickel silver |
| Norwegian | forsølvet · nysølv | silver-plated · nickel silver |
| Finnish | hopeoitu · uushopea | silver-plated · nickel silver |
| Polish | posrebrzany | silver-plated |
| Czech | postříbřený | silver-plated |
| Russian | посеребрённый | silver-plated |
| Ukrainian | посріблений | silver-plated |
| Turkish | gümüş kaplama | silver-plated |
| Chinese | 镀银 / 鍍銀 | silver-plated |
| Japanese | 銀メッキ | silver-plated |
| Korean | 은도금 | silver-plated |
36-language pocket glossary
Silver and gold around the world
Seeing the noun for silver or gold does not establish purity. Use this table to recognize a listing, then look for the qualifier—plated, filled, colored, bonded, or a local equivalent.
| Language | Silver | Gold |
|---|---|---|
| Arabic | فضة | ذهب |
| Bengali | রূপা | সোনা |
| Chinese · simplified | 银 | 金 |
| Chinese · traditional | 銀 | 金 |
| Czech | stříbro | zlato |
| Danish | sølv | guld |
| Dutch | zilver | goud |
| English | silver | gold |
| Filipino / Tagalog | pilak | ginto |
| Finnish | hopea | kulta |
| French | argent | or |
| German | Silber | Gold |
| Greek | ασήμι | χρυσός |
| Hebrew | כסף | זהב |
| Hindi | चाँदी | सोना |
| Hungarian | ezüst | arany |
| Indonesian | perak | emas |
| Italian | argento | oro |
| Japanese | 銀 | 金 |
| Korean | 은 | 금 |
| Malay | perak | emas |
| Norwegian | sølv | gull |
| Persian | نقره | طلا |
| Polish | srebro | złoto |
| Portuguese | prata | ouro |
| Romanian | argint | aur |
| Russian | серебро | золото |
| Slovak | striebro | zlato |
| Spanish | plata | oro |
| Swahili | fedha | dhahabu |
| Swedish | silver | guld |
| Thai | เงิน | ทอง |
| Turkish | gümüş | altın |
| Ukrainian | срібло | золото |
| Urdu | چاندی | سونا |
| Vietnamese | bạc | vàng |
Do not treat a translated word as a hallmark. A hallmark is a jurisdiction-specific system of marks; a metal name is only a word.
Before money changes hands
A practical verification routine
- 1
Photograph every mark, not just the attractive number.
- 2
Ask the seller to state solid, hollow, filled, plated, or base metal in writing.
- 3
Check high-wear edges, feet, handles, and engraving for a different-colored metal underneath.
- 4
Match the hallmark to the correct country and period; hallmark systems are jurisdiction-specific.
- 5
For meaningful money, use a qualified jeweler, refiner, or assay office—not a home magnet test alone.
- 6
Price silver content from verified fineness × verified net metal weight, not from appearance.
No single home trick proves purity.
Magnets, ice, sound, color, tarnish, density, and acid can contribute clues, but geometry, hidden cores, solder, surface treatments, and plating can defeat simple tests. Acid testing can damage an object and uses hazardous chemicals. Professional buyers combine visual inspection, provenance, measurements, and appropriate testing; even surface XRF can be misled by plating if used without care.
Definitions, not folklore
Primary and institutional sources
- NIST Handbook 44 (2026), Appendix C
Official U.S. conversion tables for avoirdupois and troy mass, including 28.349523125 g per avoirdupois ounce and 31.1034768 g per troy ounce.
- U.S. FTC Jewelry Guides, 16 CFR Part 23
U.S. definitions and anti-deception guidance for sterling, coin silver, coatings, gold-filled, electroplate, and vermeil.
- U.S. Code: National Gold and Silver Stamping Act
Federal restrictions on marking plated goods and the identifying name or registered-trademark requirement that accompanies a gold or silver quality mark.
- British Hallmarking Council practical guidance
How a complete U.K. hallmark identifies sponsor, fineness, and assay office, plus legal weight exemptions.
- British Hallmarking Council: 2025 enforcement results
A concrete enforcement example: inspections, warnings, seizures, and prosecutions involving unhallmarked precious-metal goods.
- Italy Ministry of Enterprises: precious-metal marks
Italy’s required millesimal fineness and registered identification marks, legal framework, and chamber-of-commerce registers.
- Italian Chamber of Commerce: consumer guide to precious-metal marks
Explains solid-silver marks, enforcement, and the special DG mark whose number is grams of fine metal deposited on a non-metal object—not fineness.
- China national standard GB 11887-2012
Official record for the current mandatory jewelry standard governing precious-metal fineness and designation; a revision was still pending in October 2026.
- China SAMR: precious-metal jewelry buying warning
National regulator guidance on required marks and labels, qualified CMA test reports, item matching, and misleading sales claims.
- China SAMR: 2026 anti-counterfeit enforcement campaign
Current enforcement scope covering fake precious-metal products, reports, testing bodies, websites, ecommerce, and livestream sales.
- U.S. National Park Service: Metals in America
Institutional metallurgy reference explaining that nickel silver and German silver are copper alloys containing no silver.
- Bowers Museum: Miao Masters of Silver
Museum context showing why “Miao silver” describes a cultural jewelry tradition rather than a dependable modern fineness guarantee.
- GIA: Methods for Determining the Gold Content of Jewelry Metals
Comparison of professional testing methods and their limitations; useful to both precious-metal guides.
Educational guide, not legal advice, an appraisal, or an authenticity opinion. Marking laws, coverage, exemptions, and recognized fineness standards vary by jurisdiction and period. Country-rule research updated October 2, 2026.