French sterling, signed Arthus Bertrand. Sterling Silver Horse Bracelet, 1940s
925 means the metal is 92.5% pure silver, which is the sterling standard. The remaining 7.5% is usually copper, added because pure silver is too soft for jewelry that has to survive wrists and pockets. If your piece is stamped 925, Sterling, or Ster, it is solid sterling silver through and through, not plated. That is the short answer; the interesting part is everything the other silver marks tell you.
Which silver marks should you know?
| Mark | What it means | Where you see it |
|---|---|---|
| 925 / Sterling | 92.5% silver, the international standard | Britain, USA, modern jewelry worldwide |
| 800 | 80% silver, solid but lower grade | Germany, Italy, continental antiques |
| 830 / 830S | 83% silver | Scandinavia, very common on Danish and Norwegian pieces |
| 875 / 84 | 87.5% silver (84 zolotnik = the same, Russian) | Russian and Eastern European antiques |
| Lion passant | The British sterling hallmark, a walking lion | English silver, with city and date letters |
| EPNS / EP / A1 / Silver plate | Electroplate: a thin silver skin over base metal, NOT solid silver | Flatware, trays, cheaper Victorian jewelry |
| Nickel silver / Alpacca / German silver | Contains no silver at all | The most misleading names in the trade |
The bottom two rows are where money is lost. EPNS, electroplated nickel silver, tarnishes like silver and polishes like silver, but the silver is a coating measured in microns. And "nickel silver" is simply a silver-colored alloy of copper, nickel and zinc: zero silver content. Marks beat looks every time; the full system, including the Scandinavian pictorial marks, is in my hallmark guide.
What does 925 mean on gold-colored jewelry?
It means the piece is gilded silver: sterling underneath, a thin layer of real gold on top, sold as vermeil when the gold layer is thick enough. It is a legitimate, centuries-old technique, common and often beautiful in antique jewelry, but it is priced as silver, not as gold. A "gold" chain stamped 925 that costs like gold is the single most common trap I warn buyers about, and it appears constantly on online marketplaces. Gold-colored plus 925 equals silver money.
Patina sitting in the engraving, exactly where it belongs. Antique Silver Buckle Bracelet, 1800s
Why does sterling silver tarnish, and is that bad?
Silver reacts with sulfur in the air and forms a dark surface layer; the copper in the alloy joins in. It is chemistry, not damage, and it wipes off with a silver cloth. On antiques, think before you shine: the dark tone lying deep in engraving and between links is patina, it took a century to form, and collectors pay for it. Polish the high surfaces gently and leave the depths dark; a piece stripped bone-bright loses both contrast and character. And never dip antique silver in chemical baths, which strip everything indiscriminately, including gilding.
How can you tell solid silver from plate without marks?
Weight and wear. Solid sterling has a soft, slightly heavy feel; plated base metal often feels either too light or oddly heavy. On worn plate, look at edges and high points: a warm yellow or grey base metal peeks through where the silver skin has worn away, the same wear-point logic as with gold. Tarnish pattern helps too: solid silver tarnishes evenly, worn plate tarnishes patchily around exposed base metal. And when it matters, an XRF reading settles it in seconds; every silver piece in my shop is tested exactly like the gold.
Frequently asked questions
Is 925 silver real silver?
Yes. 925 is sterling: 92.5% pure silver alloyed with copper for strength. It is the standard for quality silver jewelry worldwide.
Is 925 gold real gold?
The 925 stamp always refers to silver. A gold-colored piece stamped 925 is gilded sterling silver, called vermeil, and should be priced as silver with a gold surface, not as gold.
What is the difference between sterling silver and silver plate?
Sterling is solid 92.5% silver all the way through. Plate is a base metal with a thin electroplated silver skin, marked EPNS, EP or A1, worth a small fraction of sterling.
Does sterling silver turn skin green?
It can, mildly, because of the 7.5% copper, especially with sweat. It is harmless. Constant strong green marks suggest plate over copper rather than sterling.
Why is my silver jewelry turning black?
Sulfur in the air forms silver sulfide, a normal tarnish layer. A silver polishing cloth removes it. On antiques, leave the dark patina in the recesses; it is part of the value.
Is 830 silver worth less than 925?
Per gram, slightly, since it contains less silver. As objects, Scandinavian 830 antiques are collected for maker and design, and a good 830 piece easily outvalues an anonymous 925 one.
Everything silver in the shop is gathered under the silver collection, marks stated and tested.
Read next: How to read gold hallmarks · How to tell if gold is real · Why does jewelry turn skin green?
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