Why aren't my Sterling Flatware Pieces, Older Coins and Jewelry Items made of pure .999 silver like my modern day bars, ingots and coins?

Frontenac Sterling Silver by International

Why aren't my Sterling Flatware Pieces, Older Coins and Jewelry Items made of pure .999 silver like my modern day bars, ingots and coins?

Most modern day investment coins and bars are made of pure silver of .999 and this is what coin collectors and investors alike prefer to purchase when making an investment in buying silver. These coins and bullion don't get a lot of usage and just basically sit in a drawer, bank vault or on shelves and are hardly handled very much.

However, with sterling flatware, older silver coins that were once used in circulation and jewelry items, these are all products that are or were intended for higher customer usage. Silver is a very soft and pliable metal. If pure silver of .999 was used to craft and produce silver flatware and hollowware, circulated coins and jewelry, all of these would be or would have been far more vulnerable to scratching and bending.

That is why most silver ever produced on planet for high customer usage has been alloyed with copper so that the silver would have a much stronger tensile strength. You don't want your fork tines buckling easily and handles bending and losing their rigidity. You don't want your jewelry pieces to give and break easily.

The English have been alloying silver with 7.5% copper and 92.5% silver since the early 1200's and this has now become the world standard called "Sterling Silver." There are some other countries like Italy, German, Spain and others that have used 20% copper and 80% silver which is referred to as 800 fine or 80% silver. There are also other variations of 83.5% silver used by Sweden and Norway and 84% silver used by Russia.

Side by side it would be nearly impossible to see a difference between 92.5% sterling silver versus .999 pure silver. Some bars and ingots are actually made of sterling silver, but if they are compared to the .999 versions, you would definitely not notice any difference in the color.

Conclusion: Alloying silver to be used in items that are meant for high customer usage is critical for the products long term durability.

Frontenac Sterling Silver by International

Sterling Silver Guide

and Sterling Silver Buyers

 is Actively Buying All Silver

We are Buyers for your Sterling Silver Collections of flatware, hollowware and jewelry as well as your scrap silver pieces.

We don't just buy for scrap value, but we always try to pay more for your items antique silver value and potential re-sale value.

We want to purchase your antique silver collections.

If your items are just worth money only for their silver value, we give a nationally competitive top dollar scrap silver rate.

Please get our offer before you sell.

 Please feel free to send us your inventory list and photos of any sterling items you'd like to sell. We typically will have an offer to you within 24-48 hours.

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Thanks,

Greg Arbutine

Sterling Silver Guide and Sterling Silver Buyers Owner

Sterling Silver Buyers and Sterling Silver Guide wants to purchase your antique silver collections of flatware and hollowware items as well as any of your scrap silver pieces! Please sell your sterling silver items to Sterling Silver Buyers and Sterling Silver Guide.