Silver Purity Marks Explained

What stamps like 999, 958, 925, 900, and 800 actually mean.

Silver items are stamped with a small mark showing how pure the metal is, expressed as parts per 1000. Here’s how to read the marks you’re most likely to find on jewelry, flatware, and coins.

Common fineness marks

999 — fine silver, 99.9% pure, mainly used for bars and coins
958 — Britannia silver, 95.8% pure, an older British standard
925 — sterling silver, 92.5% pure, the standard for most jewelry and flatware
900 — coin silver, 90% pure, common in older US and world coins
800 — continental silver, 80% pure, common in older European pieces

See the full Silver Fineness Guide for the exact purity and typical uses of each mark.

Other marks you might see

EPNS (Electroplated Nickel Silver) — a thin layer of silver plated over a base metal, not solid silver
Silver Plate — similar to EPNS, indicates plating rather than solid silver content
A maker’s mark or hallmark — identifies the manufacturer or assay office, separate from the purity stamp

Plated items have little to no meaningful melt value — the Silver Calculator is designed for solid silver items, not plated ones.

Frequently asked questions

What does 800 silver mean?

800 is a fineness mark meaning 80% pure silver — a lower purity standard commonly found on older European silver pieces.

Is silver-plated flatware worth anything as scrap?

Generally not for its silver content — plated items contain only a thin layer of silver bonded to a base metal, so melt value is minimal. It may still have value as a used item, just not as scrap silver.