KMG•GOLD Gold Buyers Silver FAQ
Silver is a chemical element with the atomic symbol Ag
Silver has been known since antiquity, and it is used as a currency metal. It has long been valued as a precious metal used in ornaments and jewelry and in high-value tableware and utensils (hence the term "silverware").
A major use of silver is as a precious metal and it has long been used for making high-value objects reflecting the wealth and status of the owner. Jewelry and silverware are traditionally made from sterling silver (standard silver), an alloy of 92.5% silver with 7.5% copper.
The name of the United Kingdom monetary unit "pound" reflects the fact that it originally represented the value of one troy pound of sterling silver.
Source: Silver. (2008, January 17). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 20:53, January 17, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver
Jewelry and silverware are traditionally made from Sterling silver.
- Sterling defines an alloy of 92.5% silver with 7.5% copper.
- 925 defines silver that is 925/1000 (92.5% pure silver) while 800 defines silver that is 800/1000 (80% pure silver).
- Brittania silver is purer than sterling, at least 95.84% silver and up to 4.16% copper.
- Mexican silver typically has a lower pure silver content than 925 sterling. Sometimes significantly lower and may contain other alloy metals such as lead, tin, and zinc.
- Silver is not magnetic