Silver on the periodic table of elements (Ag)
On the periodic table, silver is element 47, symbol Ag, from the Latin argentum. It sits in the same column as copper and gold, which explains the family resemblance: all three are soft, workable metals that conduct electricity superbly. Silver is in fact the best electrical and thermal conductor of any element, which is why so much of it disappears into electronics and solar panels every year.
Silver melts at 961.8 degrees Celsius and has a density of 10.49 grams per cubic centimeter, about half of gold's. That density gap is one quick screen a buyer uses: a "silver" bar that feels too light or too heavy for its size earns a closer look, and our XRF reading settles the question in seconds, free, at the counter.
What a silversmith does: Wallace Silversmiths, Wallace Bros and Towle silver co markings
A silversmith shapes silver into flatware, hollowware and jewelry, and American silversmithing left behind the pieces we see most at the counter: sterling flatware sets and serving pieces from names like Wallace Silversmiths, Towle, Gorham and International Silver. The company markings stamped on the back tell you who made a piece, and more importantly, what it is made of.
The marking that matters for value is the purity word: "Sterling" or "925" means 92.5 percent silver, real weighable metal. Wallace Bros marks, and any mark reading "silver co" with words like "plate", "EP", "EPNS" or "A1", usually indicate silverplate instead. Maker markings can also add collector value on top of melt for sought-after patterns, which we check before quoting.
Towle silverplate versus sterling
Towle made both, and the same is true of most big makers. A Towle sterling piece sells on its silver weight plus any pattern premium; Towle silverplate carries only a thin surface layer over base metal, so it has little melt value however handsome it is. The back stamp usually says which is which, and when it does not, the XRF does.
Silver tea service sets
A silver tea service set is the classic attic find, and the first question is always the same: sterling or plate? A full sterling tea service can hold a surprising number of troy ounces and is worth real money on metal alone, before any maker premium. Plated services, the more common find, are mostly decorative value. Bring the whole set in; we sort sterling from plate in front of you, free.
BU, junk and bullion: silver terms and their meaning
Dealer vocabulary trips up more sellers than the math does. BU means brilliant uncirculated, a coin that never saw a pocket and keeps its original mint luster. Junk silver is the trade's unflattering name for circulated 90 percent silver US coins, dimes, quarters and halves from 1964 and earlier, valued purely for their metal. Bullion means metal held for its weight and purity, bars and rounds, rather than for collector appeal.
| Term | Meaning | What it does to value |
|---|---|---|
| BU (brilliant uncirculated) | Never circulated, full mint luster | Can add a premium above melt |
| Junk silver | Circulated pre-1965 US 90 percent coins | Trades on metal content |
| Bullion | Bars and rounds held for metal value | Tracks the live spot price |
| Sterling / 925 | 92.5 percent silver | Real melt value by weight |
| Silverplate / EP / EPNS | Thin silver layer over base metal | Little to no melt value |
Whatever the term on the flip or the stamp on the handle, the metal prices off the live feed above. The silver price today page carries the current number and the silver calculator does the weight math.
The silver bullet and the silver werewolf legend, defined
The folklore first: in European legend a silver bullet is the one weapon that can bring down a werewolf, and the silver werewolf connection gave English its favorite metaphor. Today "silver bullet" means a single simple solution to a hard problem. Fittingly, there is no silver bullet for valuing silver either: it is always weight, purity and the live price, checked piece by piece.
Sterling, plate, coins or a whole tea service: bring it in and watch it tested free by XRF, priced from the live market, paid the same day. Call (732) 483-4145.
Find your nearest of our 8 storesSilver facts FAQs
What is silver's symbol on the periodic table?
Ag, from the Latin argentum, element number 47. On jewelry and flatware the marks that matter are purity stamps: Sterling or 925 for 92.5 percent silver, 999 for fine silver, and words like EP or EPNS for plate.
How do I tell sterling from silverplate at home?
Read the back stamp first: Sterling or 925 means solid; plate, EP, EPNS or A1 means plated. Unmarked pieces are harder, and plating can fool magnets and acids alike, so the reliable answer is an XRF reading, which we run free at the counter.
Are Wallace and Towle pieces worth more than melt?
Sometimes. Sought-after sterling patterns from the major American makers can carry a collector premium above their silver weight, especially complete sets in good condition. We check the pattern before quoting so the premium is never left on the table.
What does BU mean on a silver coin?
Brilliant uncirculated: a coin that never circulated and keeps its full mint luster. BU examples of common silver coins can bring a modest premium above melt, and better dates considerably more.
Is a plated silver tea set worth selling?
Usually not for its metal, since the silver layer is very thin. But bring it in anyway if you are clearing an estate: we identify any sterling pieces mixed into the set free, and those do carry real value.