Silver Jewelry Stamps and What They Mean
Every silver stamp decoded — from 925 Sterling to EPNS plating — so you can tell what your piece is made of and whether it has real value.
You found a stamp on a silver-colored piece of jewelry, flatware, or serving piece. Maybe it says 925, Sterling, 800, EPNS, or something else you don't recognize. That marking tells you what the item is made of, how pure the silver is, and — most importantly — whether it's real silver at all.
This guide covers every silver stamp you're likely to find, explains what each one means, and helps you figure out if your piece has real value or is just silver in color.
Silver Purity Stamps
Silver purity stamps use the millesimal fineness system — a three-digit number that tells you the parts per thousand of pure silver. A stamp of 925 means 925 parts out of 1,000 are silver, or 92.5%. The remaining percentage is alloy metal, typically copper, added for strength.
For any of these purities, you can calculate the approximate value per gram using the silver price per gram calculator at MeltValue.com. Sterling silver (925) is the most valuable common purity you'll find on jewelry and flatware.
Silver Plating Stamps
These stamps mean the item is not solid silver. Many people are disappointed to learn that their "silver" tray or tea set is actually plated — a thin coating of silver over a base metal. This section will save you a trip to the dealer if your piece falls into this category.
A base metal (nickel silver alloy) coated with a thin layer of real silver. This is the most common plating stamp on silverware. Despite the word "silver" in the name, the base metal contains no silver.
A thin layer of silver applied to a base metal through electroplating. Minimal silver content.
A thin coating of silver over a base metal core. Very little silver value.
The best grade of silver plating — thicker than standard — but still plated, not solid silver.
An older process of fusing a sheet of silver onto copper. Has some silver content but much less than solid silver. Genuine Sheffield plate (pre-1840) can have antique value.
This is a copper-nickel-zinc alloy that contains zero silver. The name is misleading — it refers only to the color, not the metal content.
If you see EPNS, EP, SP, or Nickel Silver on your piece, the item has almost no silver value. Plated silverware and serving pieces are worth keeping for use or decoration, but they won't fetch meaningful scrap prices from a dealer.
Maker's Marks and Country Marks on Silver
Beyond the purity stamp, silver items — especially older pieces — often carry additional marks that identify the maker, the country of origin, and the year of production. These are called hallmarks.
Often has a lion passant (confirms sterling), a date letter (year of assay), and an assay office mark (city where tested — e.g., a leopard's head for London).
Look for an eagle head or Minerva head stamp. French silver is typically .950 or .800 purity.
Marked with a star alongside a province number. Most Italian silver is .800 purity.
Usually just "Sterling" or "925" with no additional hallmarks. Some American makers (like Gorham, Tiffany, Reed & Barton) have their own maker's marks.
How to Find Silver Stamps
Silver stamps can be harder to find than gold stamps, especially on older pieces where the markings may have worn down over decades of use. A magnifying glass or jeweler's loupe is helpful. Here's where to look:
- Bottom of flatware handles (turn the fork or spoon over)
- Inside of rings — on the inner band
- Near the clasp on chains and bracelets
- Underside of trays, bowls, and platters
- Inside the lid of boxes and cigarette cases
- On the bottom or back of candlesticks and frames
What Is Your Silver Worth?
Once you've identified the purity stamp, calculating the value is straightforward. Weigh the item in grams, multiply by the purity percentage, and multiply by the current silver price per gram.
Example:
A sterling silver (925) bracelet weighing 30 grams contains 30 × 0.925 = 27.75 grams of pure silver. Multiply that by the current silver price per gram for the melt value.
Use the scrap silver calculator at MeltValue.com to get an instant answer with live pricing. Remember: plated items (EPNS, SP, EP) have no meaningful melt value.
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