Sterling silver has a place in almost every household. Sterling silver is a precious metal alloy that adorns our dining tables, as it is the material from which cutlery, jewellery and other decorative items are made.

Hallmarks and identifying characteristics

Sterling silver is a metal that contains 92.5% silver and a 7.5% mixture of other metals. For example, you will notice the number 925 unobtrusively on your sterling silver jewellery. Many products made from sterling silver are also stamped with hallmarks and other emblems to indicate the origin and purity of the metal.
Hallmarks, also known as assayer's marks, are generally in the form of a numeral important to a particular country. Silver made in Ireland usually bears the word ‘Hibernia’, which is the name of the island in ancient Latin, while French silver is generally marked with an image of the goddess Minerva. It may also bear a maker's mark, an indication of purity, or other markings. Understanding the traditional hallmarks used on sterling silver items can help you assess the age, origin and authenticity of a piece.

Trends in buying and selling silver

Buyers naturally want to pay based on the true value of the pure silver. So when selling your sterling silver, expect to realise a price slightly below the bargain price. Several factors influence the demand for and price of commodities such as silver, including the economic health of a region and, of course, the political climate.
In addition to the Dutch coins we sell at The Silver Mountain, we also have a 1-kilogram bag of fine silver in the form of various coins, tokens etc. struck in sterling silver. With some regularity, we purchase incomplete collectors' sets or, for example, old coins. These objects are all struck in sterling silver (.925) and we then package them per bag of 1 kilogram of pure silver.
Sterling silver is often used when making and issuing special coin sets or editions such as the Franklin Mint set, for example. A silver bars collection of the finest sailing ships, the Flags of the United Nations in .925 silver or the complete works of Vermeer in gold on silver tokens.

The value of sterling silver

Sterling silver is not an investment grade metal because it does not have the purity of fine silver, which is 99.9% pure. Although sterling silver has no place in Precious Metal Investment, it has many important applications that contribute to our daily lives. Mankind has used alloyed silver to manufacture various household items and even medical equipment since 30 BC.
Since pure silver is too soft for everyday use, silversmiths found it necessary to alloy it with other metals, this was often copper, to give the item strength. Adding other metals gives silver the strength to be used in household items and personal accessories.
Tip from The Silver Mountain: if you want to keep sterling silver in large quantities, remember that while it may have incalculable artistic value or sentimental value, sterling is not an investment grade precious metal. Seek expert advice before counting sterling pieces as anything other than heirlooms or fine jewellery. That said, sterling silver does have real value, so it can certainly be a way to hold onto wealth while enjoying its beauty.