Maybe you bought a silver item on an untrustworthy site, or a friend of yours gave you a piece they found somewhere. Maybe you just want to check out some family heirlooms that you're not entirely sure about. Whatever reason you have, you will need to know how to test for silver. Silver is a versatile chemical element. Sterling silver is about 92.5% silver and the remaining 7.5% copper, and is harder than pure silver. 100% silver is soft and is often referred to as "pure silver". Often, a silver-plated product is mistaken for pure silver: the plated is in fact coated with a thin layer of silver. Go to step 1 to start testing your silver.
Steps
Method 1 of 6: Look for the Brand
Step 1. Look for a stamp
The objects advertised and sold on the international market have a stamp that guarantees the quality of the silver. If it is not present, it can still be pure silver, but coming from a country that does not require any marks whatsoever.
Step 2. Evaluate the international brand
Look for it on the piece with a magnifying glass. Those who sell silver internationally mark it as 925, 900 or 800. These numbers indicate the percentage of pure silver in the piece. 925 implies that it is composed of 92.5% silver, 900 or 800 that the percentages of silver are respectively 90 and 80, and often in this case we speak of "minting silver" because it is usually mixed with copper.
Method 2 of 6: Testing the Magnetic Properties
Step 1. Find a magnet
You can especially use a powerful magnet such as the neodymium rare stone magnet, which will ensure greater accuracy in determining whether it is silver or not, since the metal in question is not magnetic.
Remember that there are few metals that do not stick and that can be worked to become similar to silver. Try the magnet test in combination with another one to be sure of the results
Step 2. Try the slip test
If you test silver in the form of an ingot, there is another way to use the magnet. Place it at a 45 ° angle above the ingot - the magnet should slide down the silver surface with some effort. It may seem counterintuitive because silver is not magnetic, but the field of the magnet itself creates a brake effect that slows down its movement.
Method 3 of 6: Ice Test
Step 1. Have some ice handy
Store it in the freezer until ready. Silver, although it does not appear, has the greatest thermal conductivity of all metals.
This test works well with pennies and bars, but will be more difficult with jewelry
Step 2. Place your piece of ice on the silver
Don't take your eyes off him. The ice will begin to melt immediately as if it had been placed on something warm, even if it is at room temperature.
Method 4 of 6: Sound Test
Step 1. Try it with a dime
Silver makes a ringing sound when tapped, especially with another metal. If you want to try, find for example an American quatrain of those issued between 1932 and 1964. Those issued before 1965 were composed of 90% silver, while the following ones, up to the modern quatrains, are composed of 91.67% of copper and 8.33% nickel. The older ones, therefore, will make the ringing sound, while the new ones will make a low sound.
Step 2. Tap on the piece of silver
Don't put too much force into it not to dent the coin. Gently tap with another dime. If it rings like a little bell you have a piece of genuine silver in your hands, if the sound is dull, the silver is probably mixed with other metals.
Method 5 of 6: Chemical Analysis
Step 1. Run a chemical test on your item
Choose this solution if there is no imprint. Put on a pair of gloves. You will use a corrosive acid to test the purity of the silver, and the acids burn the skin.
Note that this method can slightly damage your item. If you want to sell it or want it to buy value, it will probably be best to try another of the methods listed in this article
Step 2. Buy a silver test
It can be found on sites like Amazon or eBay, or from a jeweler. The acid test is great for pure silver, but if you think yours is plated, you'll need to make a mark on it to see what's underneath the plating.
Step 3. Find a nook on the object in question and make a few scratches
You will need it to determine the acid reaction. Scratch with a metal object. Try to get under the silver plated surface.
If you don't want to scratch your silver item or leave a mark, use a black stone plate. They are usually included in the test kit or sold separately in the same shop. Rub the object on the surface of the plate, so that it releases a certain amount of silver. You will need at least an inch or two
Step 4. Apply a drop of acid to the scratched surface
If the acid also touched other non-scratched parts it would affect the shiny appearance of the silver. If you choose to use the black stone, add a drop of acid to the powder line.
Step 5. Analyze the surface with acid
You will need to evaluate the color that appears as soon as the acid penetrates the object. Follow the instructions and the color scale of your specific test. Generally the scale is as follows:
- Bright red: pure silver
- Dark red: 925 silver
- Brown: 800 silver
- Green: 500 silver
- Yellow: lead or tin
- Dark brown: brass
- Blue: nickel
Method 6 of 6: Bleach Test
Once exposed to a powerful oxidizing agent like bleach, silver stains quickly.
Step 1. Simply put a drop of bleach on your item
Step 2. Check the reaction
If it stains or turns black, it's silver.
