How to Tell if Silver Is Real: A Basic Guide

To date, nearly 2 million tons of silver have been mined globally. It is one of our favorite precious metals and is used to make wonderful ornaments and jewelry. It also bought and sold as bullion.

The big problem with this precious metal is that it can be really hard to tell if silver is real. Luckily, you’ve come across this article.

Read on to never be fooled by fake silver again.

How to Tell if Silver is Real

If you don’t know what you’re looking for, it can be very easy to be tricked into thinking that fake silver is the real deal. You should never buy any silver without being sure that it’s authentic.

Silver is a precious metal and you want to make sure that you’re buying genuine stuff before spending your money on it. Here are a few things to look out for to tell if silver is genuine.

Look For a Stamp

The first and most reliable thing that you should look for is a stamp. In most countries around the world, silver that is produced to be sold commercially will have at least one stamp to signify its authenticity and where it was made.

Say for example that you’re buying a silver ring, if you look at the inside of the band you’ll find a marking. It may be a word or two or a logo of the silversmith who made the ring.

Silver purity is signified by parts per thousand. If you’re ever lucky to come across a piece of silver marked with “999” it means that you’ve found yourself some silver that is 99% pure.

Don’t get your hopes up though, most commercially available silver sits around 92.5% or “925”.

Is The Metal Magnetic?

If you can see a mark but you’re still not satisfied, bring out the magnet and do a quick and easy test to assess the veracity of the silver. Real silver is considered to be nonmagnetic.

While it will have a small magnetic reaction, real silver shouldn’t be strongly drawn to the magnet when you hold it near. Don’t rely solely on the magnet test as the magnetic properties of precious metals can be mimicked by other metals.

Can You See Patina?

Another visual signifier that the metal you’re looking at is real silver is the patina. Patina is the name given to the tarnish that silver develops over time through a process of oxidation. Patina will be a layer of dark color that sits over the top of the metal.

Looking for tarnish isn’t a foolproof system though. People that make fake silver will sometimes apply an artificial tarnish to the fake item to make it look like real silver.

Invest in Silver Today

When you’re just looking at a piece of metal, it can be very hard to tell if silver is real. With the tips in this article, you can be more confident when you’re buying precious metals.

If you want to be 100% certain you’re getting genuine silver, then come and speak to CMI Gold and Silver today. We are America’s oldest bullion merchant. Come start your precious metals journey today.

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