Testing Silver at Home for the average consumer
- Simplest tests include magnet, Archimedes test, heat conductance, bell-like ringing, mustard stain test, and vinegar test -- but several different tests must be done. Acid test is best! -
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Q. I am trying to figure out if this particular item is real silver or plated silver or plated gold and silver on the inside. It's a very unique item. I was wondering if there was any particular quick or simple test that I can do here at home before I take it to someone and pay them to test it. If there is such a way I would really appreciate it.
Julie Barnumconsumer - Florence, Colorado
A. Hi Julie. First test it with a magnet, since iron and steel are magnetic whereas most other materials are not. Then determine the density of the object using Archimedes' principle (compare it's weight to how much water it displaces). If it's at least 10x as heavy as water and non-magnetic, there is at least a chance it's silver; otherwise it's not, so don't waste money on further testing. If it says "Sterling" or .925, and it's not counterfeit, it's solid 92.5% silver. It's hard to tell what's inside an unopened package, so if you don't let the jeweler scrape through to expose the innards for an acid test, you're probably limited to x-ray testing, which is expensive. Good luck!
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 Ted Mooney, P.E. RET finishing.com Brick, New Jersey |
A. My favorite test method is crude but quick. Using the fact that solid silver is an excellent conductor of heat, I place an ice cube in or on the object and see how quickly the article becomes cold to the touch. For something like a teaspoon with ice in the bowl, the handle becomes cold in about 5-10 seconds. A plated spoon takes about 30 seconds. I have not tried silver plated copper pieces, however.
James Chunn- Theodore, Alabama
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Q. I have the same concerns about distinguishing silver (WHETHER STERLING OR PLATE) from other metals.I WILL SOON BE TRAVELING TO A PART OF THE WORLD where the locals mine silver, make silver jewelry, perhaps even sell silver ingots. It could offer some real opportunities, but obviously there are opportunities for getting scammed.
Any ideas about how to test the "product" for genuineness?
- Lakeland, Florida
A. Balance the item on your finger and strike it with a pencil or similar. Pure silver rings like a bell with a high frequency that does not fade quickly. If it gives a dull thud, it is some base alloy -- even if it has a plating of silver over it.
Andy Mayburyhome energy adviser - Hawick, U.K.
February 6, 2012
The method of tapping a silver coin while balancing on your finger is not legitimate. Many other metals have the ringing property when hit by a pencil.
- New York, New York, USA
Thanks, Robert, but lots of tests are multi-part, and I think we can only say a test is "not legitimate" if it produces false negatives as well as false positives. Do you feel that that is the case? Thanks.
Regards,
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Ted Mooney, P.E. RET finishing.com Brick, New Jersey |
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May 8, 2009
A. There is only one true way to test silver and, that is with acid => - Ormond, Florida
November 19, 2009
A. Use French's mustard. Place a small drop on the silver item and use a small amount of heat either sunlight or even a lighter, The silver sulfide will show as a black stain on the surface of the item, This won't determine if its solid silver, but will tell you if its silver, I would ping test it and use Archimedes' principle with weight along with the stain test. Don't worry the stain will wipe away with vinegar. David Champy II- Milton,New Hampshire October 7, 2010 Q. My husband was in the printing business and has collected pure silver which was extracted from photographic film through the development process. How can the silver powder be tested it's quality? Karen Freedman- Reisterstown, Maryland, USA |
A. If you have silver powder this could be smelted into solid silver. You would need some specialist items as this video shows (not me by the way just found on you tube :), youtube.com/watch?v=yFekwsmIzTQ, so may not something that you could do at home but I am sure there will be someone local to you that could help out.
Christian Hirlemann- Canterbury, Kent, England
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March 12, 2011
Q. what is the best way to check if an item is silver and what is the silver content of an item within reasonable limits? also buying silver coins from a dealer in the UK how safe is it as the dealers do not Mint their own coins but buy from out of house sources, am asking this because I have not seen a dealer yet stating who mints the coins they sell except for Britannias which of course I trust been Minted by the royal Mint, I also bought few american eagles from Ebay n they do look different from the Britannias they look very dull is this because they are not polished? the finish not as good n WHO Mints the us eagles? hobby - greater London UK |
April 11, 2011
Q. I pulled some silver coils out of a big electric box, when testing for silver it turned a turquoise color. my chart says 50% green, 80% brown 92.5% dark red. Do you know what type of metal it could be?
Jimmie Penneyscrapped my whole life but now scrapping from electronics - Hawley Texas
September 22, 2011
Q. I am a filipino but working in south korea as granite stone cutter for tile making. I noticed that there are so many silver grains in the granite rock. In the other department in our co. they crushed the rocks to extract iron and some metals appear to be white shiny metal. But I used magnet to test those white metals and they were magnetized...are these metals are silver that were already mixed with the iron. how can I test them to know if it is silver mixed with iron. Thank you for giving attention to my question....
brentano Isonhobbyist - iksan chollabukdo south korea
A. If it's stainless steel plated with silver, a magnet test won't work. Stainless steel is non-magnetic.
Morley Robertson- Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
A. Hi, Morley. Your statement is helpful in context -- thanks. But for the record: while type 3xx stainless steel (18/8 & 18/10) is non-magnetic, type 4xx stainless steel (18/0) is strongly magnetic.
Regards,
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Ted Mooney, P.E. RET finishing.com Brick, New Jersey |
A. To test, simply make a small scratch somewhere inconspicuous on the item, and put a drop of ordinary household white vinegar on the scratch. If it turns green, or any other colour, you have a plated metal and not the genuine article.
Billy Higgins- Galway, Ireland
A. You will need to be cautious with the vinegar test. I didn't have any silverplate quickly at hand, but I did have some some nickel silver out of China and some sterling. The vinegar showed no colour on either scratch test, so will not identify nickel silver as not being sterling.
As an aside: There are a lot of fakes coming out of China these days - bullion bars and necklaces as a couple of examples. The necklaces are marked as 925 but both acid testing and density testing confirm they are fakes. I expect it won't be long until it is filtering through eBay as scrap. Buyer Beware!
- Okanagan Falls, BC, Canada
A. In reading this post I wanted to add something. Please do not consider the magnet test to be a reliable test for silver. This especially applies to jewelry. You will find that silver is often plated with Rhodium. Rhodium itself is not magnetic but in order to plate a piece with rhodium it must be plated with another metal first. These metals can be magnetic. You will find the piece to be slightly magnetic whereas if you have a piece of plated steel it will be very strongly magnetic. This applies to white gold as well. I have seen many people pass up on sterling and white gold for this reason.
Tina Simpson- Chicago, Illinois USA
May 21, 2012
Q. I am trying to figure out if my candlesticks are silver or might be stainless steel, they are not magnetic ... I needed to know if stainless steel tarnishes.
Trisha Smith- Cleveland, Tennessee, USA
A. Hi Trisha.
All metals except gold and the other precious metals tarnish ... but it is a matter of degree. You probably have stainless steel flatware or serving utensils from which you can judge what stainless steel looks like. And if you also have Sterling or silverplate flatware, the difference should be pretty apparent. Of course, your candlesticks could be made of other things than silver or stainless, like pewter or nickel plate.
Regards,
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Ted Mooney, P.E. RET finishing.com Brick, New Jersey |
June 6, 2012
Q. I came across a silver serving tray in my deceased parents' attic. It may have come over from England in the early 30's. It is 22" x 16" not including the handles. It has feet, weighs 8 1/2 lb. and has ornate scrollwork. It is not magnetic and is only slightly tarnished. There are no identifying marks whatsoever on it. Should I try the vinegar test? What else would you recommend? Thank you for any consideration you may give me.
Noel Triplett- Charlotte, North Carolina
August 19, 2012
Q. Hi, I recently bought a silver cigarette case and the outside is definitely silver and the inside (where the hallmarks are--strange hallmarks that don't look current at all, but hallmarks) is shiny yellow-ish. I am wondering what it could be made out of. It's like the inside of a silver chalice.
ida randhobbyist - portland Oregon USA
A. Hi Ida.
There is no particular no reason I can think of to believe it isn't silver with gold plating. Or brass with silver plating. But you'll need to take it to a gold buying service or test it yourself. Guessing from the appearance isn't going to cut it, unfortunately. Good luck.
Regards,
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Ted Mooney, P.E. RET finishing.com Brick, New Jersey |
April 14, 2013
Q. How do you tell the difference between solid silver and silver solder?
Kayla Ferguson- Spooner, Wisconsin, USA
A. Hi Kayla. Solder is for joining things, not making things. It might be used to connect a cup to a base, for example, or a handle to a teapot -- but a cup or base or handle or teapot would not be made out of solder.
Regards,
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Ted Mooney, P.E. RET finishing.com Brick, New Jersey |
May 6, 2013
Q. Hi there, I have an antique concho belt bought at an estate sale. Each medallion is stamped on the back "madeinspain" with a capital "E" in a circle also stamped on the back of the medallion. It has tarnished, black does come off when wiped, could it be silver? Thank you for your response.
Stephanie Benbenek- Greer, South Carolina
May 9, 2013
A. Hi Stephanie. It could be, but I doubt it. I'd guess tin or pewter, assuming it's non-magnetic. Black tarnish is certainy not exclusive to silver, and silver tarnish doesn't usually wipe off easily. I think the thrust of the thread is that testing beats guessing :-)
Good luck and Regards,
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Ted Mooney, P.E. RET finishing.com Brick, New Jersey |
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