6.26 an ounce—close to an eight-year high. There once was a time when silver was given to newlyweds or passed down when children were born. These traditions are beginning to fade more and more, but why? Some shied away from giving silver because it was seen as too extravagant. Others found silver items too hard to maintain. If you’ve got silver items in your cupboards and cabinets, recent changes in the availability of silver could be your gain… but only if you can be sure your possessions are real silver. Even then, how do you know how to make an accurate estimate of value? For these reasons and much more, in this article, Sal at Judy’s Jewelry wants to help you understand more about antique silver. How to identify what type of silver you have Silver comes in a wide variety of qualities that have been used for different purposes throughout the years. No object in your home is going to be 100% silver, as pure silver is extremely soft and was not very useful in producing long-lasting products. Silversmiths, in turn, began mixing silver with copper to produce the antiques that still have lasting value and beauty we have today. The amount of silver versus the amount of copper determines the quality of the silver, and often can be determined by stamps or other identifying marks on the silver item. Here’s a look at the different types of silver: Fine Silver – Also known as pure silver, fine silver is the highest quality, and is in all reality too soft to be used for the production of very many items. Some collectible coins and leafed items are fine silver. If an item is however considered fine silver, it should be marked or stamped .999 or 999 – indicating that the object is 99.9% silver. Britannia Silver -- Britannia is the name given to silver marked 950 for items that are 95% silver. At this concentration, the silver can still be quite soft, and any items made from it easily can be damaged. Britannia silver is very rare to find. Sterling Silver – Sterling is the most common type of silver used in antique items. Comprised of 92.5% silver (and typically marked either 925 or 92.5), sterling is beautiful but also stable enough to be used to produce a wide variety of items. There are a large number of sterling silver hallmarks used throughout South America, Asia, Europe, and North America. Some companies that make and sell home goods stamped their sterling silver products with the word sterling, while others used a Lion symbol. Coin silver – Traditionally used in the productions of coins and collectible medallions, coin silver is only 90% silver. It can be marked with 900, Standard, or Coin. European Silver -- Also commonly referred to as continental silver, this type of silver traditionally was used to make antique home goods more than 100 years ago in Europe. This type of silver is often marked with either 800, 825, 830, or 850. Each of these indicates the percentage of silver the alloy used to create the antique contained. Silverplate -- Silver plating is when an object is made of one material and then has been covered by a layer of silver that is at least 5 microns thick. The silver content on silver plated items is minimal and can wear away quickly. Silver plating can be marked by P at the end of the quality stamp (925P for sterling silver plating) or it can be indicated in the maker's hallmark. With over 30 years of experience as SWFL Estate Dealers in Fort Myers you can expect expert customer service. Judy's Antique and Estate Jewelry is the biggest buyer of silver in SWFL. Come in and see us today!  12710 FL-867, Fort Myers, FL 33919