What is sterling silver?

Pure silver, that brilliantly shiny metal, has been used by mankind for thousands of years to make body ornaments and mirrors. However, pure silver is is too soft to use to make most functional objects, so other metals are added to make pure silver stronger. Sterling silver is the result of adding other metals to pure silver to achieve an alloy commonly known as sterling silver. To be "sterling" silver, the alloy must contain 92.5% pure silver, also commonly written as .925 silver. Most commonly, copper is added to pure silver,but other metals that can be added include germanium, zinc and platinum.

Here are examples of pure silver (.999%) silver bars.

It is believed that sterling silver was first developed in the current area of Germany, in the 12th century. During the 13th century in UK, some of the earliest "standards" were set establishing the minimum silver content for sterling silver at 91.5-92.5% silver. In colonial America, sterling silver was used as coinage. In addition, silversmiths made practical products with sterling silver, like tea sets and flatware. Because there was little regulation of the industry, buyers relied upon the reputation of the seller to provide the buyer with an honest 92.5% silver product, and the "hallmark" of the seller, with his/her reputation and integrity standing behind it. Of course, one of colonial America's most famous silversmiths was Paul Revere.

Today, sterling silver is still used in the fabrication of flatware, ornamental housewares and commonly, jewelry.

Sterling silver necklace, Autumn Leaves, from my collection.


If you have owned sterling silver, you know that it tarnishes. Pure silver does not chemically react to oxygen or water, but does react to atmospheric pollution, sulfur compounds and ozone. By adding alloys, the tendency of silver to tarnish increases and depending on one's tastes, may require frequently cleaning and polishing. Keeping sterling silver away from air pollution and airborne chemical compounds, is one of the easiest ways to help avoid having it tarnish. There are also products that can be bought that help inhibit tarnish including a relatively new product offered by 3M commonly called anti-tarnish strips. By keeping sterling silver (including jewelry) in a container that protects it from atmospheric pollution (even a closed jewelry box helps; I use small jewelry-sized plastic baggies) along with anti tarnish strips, one can significantly minimize tarnish that might develop. Here is a picture of the 3M anti tarnish strip (1" squares and 1" x 6" strips).

The anti tarnish strips that I include with my sales, are bought on Amazon, but I'm sure there are other places where you can purchase them. A cautionary note: 100 of the small (1" square pieces) shown in the photo, is about 1/2" thick and weighs less than an ounce. Don't pay an online seller a large "shipping" fee to stick 100 squares into a first class envelope with $.44 postage on it!


Argentium (a trade name) is a relatively new form of sterling silver wherein pure silver is alloyed with germanium. The Argentium marketing suggests that because germanium is used as the hardening alloy, and not copper, the Argentium sterling silver is less susceptible to tarnishing. Currently, the wholesale price of Argentium is about 20% higher than sterling silver, even though the silver content of Argentium is still 92.5%. In addition to Argentium, other manufacturers are developing and marketing proprietary alloys of sterling silver, said to inhibit tarnish and firescale (the red or purple stain that sometimes appears on sterling silver). I suspect that with new entrants into the proprietary alloy market, that the price differential between sterling silver and the proprietary alloys will drop.