Testing for solid silver vs silver plate

[Richard III]

Any easy way to do this one`s self with out damaging the object ?

An example might be a Regt. issue sports medal.

[Sonofacqms]

testing, testing one two three . . !

[Richard III]

Originally Posted by Sonofacqms

testing, testing one two three . . !

LOL !!

[Peter Brydon]

Lots of cheap testing kits available:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/36091...s=true&ff13=80

But whether they are any good ?

P.B.

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by Richard III

Any easy way to do this one`s self with out damaging the object ?

An example might be a Regt. issue sports medal.

Not to state the obvious, but if it was a regimental sports medal and solid silver, I'd expect to see a hallmark.

Sorry not to be of more help.

Stephen

[Mike_2817]

Interesting page for tests, but do remember chemical tests will mark an item, which if it is for scrap does not matter.

http://www.wikihow.com/Test-Silver

https://youtu.be/MiGrtLoJ2dY

[Jeff Mc William]

Originally Posted by Peter Brydon

Lots of cheap testing kits available:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/36091...s=true&ff13=80

But whether they are any good ?

P.B.

Very interesting. Thank you Peter. But would these tests distinguish between silver & silver-plate ?? Regards Jeff

[Peter Brydon]

Jeff,
Quite possibly not, I seem to recall that you have to scrape a small piece of the item somewhere that is fairly well hidden for a number of the test kits to give correct results.

Peter

[Mike_2817]

Read the links in Post #6 for methods.

[Neibelungen]

Broadly speaking a silver plate will show up as a 99% fine silver, whereas most casting and stampings will be stirling silver. A heavy plate will usually be only about 20-30 microns thick.
It's not uncommon for stirling silver jewellery to be silver plated as it tarnishes more slowly, however the advent of new materials like argentium silver and anti-tarnishing electro treatments have reduced this somewhat.

The only definitive method is x-ray spectroscopy, which is used in determining hallmarking standards today, as hallmarks themselves can be easily copied in a casting (although usually less precise).
Silver, by weight, of under 7.8 gms doesn't require a hallmark, otherwise above that weight it can't be sold as silver regardless of it's material composition and any other stamps on it are meaningless. (There are some exceptions in older pieces and imported silver and the rules have never been strictly enforced as such)

[Luc]

Silver has a greater density than wm. It is not difficult to accurately measure the weight, but volume may be a bit harder to find out.

[Richard III]

Originally Posted by Neibelungen

Broadly speaking a silver plate will show up as a 99% fine silver, whereas most casting and stampings will be stirling silver. A heavy plate will usually be only about 20-30 microns thick.
It's not uncommon for stirling silver jewellery to be silver plated as it tarnishes more slowly, however the advent of new materials like argentium silver and anti-tarnishing electro treatments have reduced this somewhat.

The only definitive method is x-ray spectroscopy, which is used in determining hallmarking standards today, as hallmarks themselves can be easily copied in a casting (although usually less precise).
Silver, by weight, of under 7.8 gms doesn't require a hallmark, otherwise above that weight it can't be sold as silver regardless of it's material composition and any other stamps on it are meaningless. (There are some exceptions in older pieces and imported silver and the rules have never been strictly enforced as such)

Thanks Neib..( if I may Your getting close to what I was really interested in and that is the vague definitions that sellers use for larger silver military items of Victorian-Edwardian manufacture, particular the Scottish Regiments and the old, sadly gone, Light Infantry units, which can be reasonably dated by the design. If you eliminate "Hallmarked Silver" we get "Silvered", "Silver Plate", "unmarked Silver" ," Sterling Silver" ,
"cast silver", etc. with commensurate prices. The on line specialist militaria dealers do the best they can I`m sure, but when we get to the big on line auction we all visit, things get very vague...