Sterling Silver

Sterling silver is at least 92.5% silver and up to 7.5% other metals, usually copper, and is stamped with either the word "Sterling" or ".925" or the Lion Passant mark. Fine silver (99.99% pure) is generally too soft for producing large functional objects.

Origin of the term

The term "Sterling Silver", in reference to the .925 grade of silver, emerged in England by the 13th century.

The terms "sterling" and "pound sterling", seem to have acquired their meaning over a period of time, and from several convergent sources. The first mention is that of "sterilensis" in 1078, and by the thirteenth century (by the 1200's) the term sterling had appeared.

"Easterling" Theory

It seems quite possible that Sterling Silver may have been known first as "Easterling Silver". The term "Easterling Silver" was used to refer to the grade of silver that had originally been used as the local currency in an area of Germany, known as "The Easterling".

This "Easterling" consisted of five towns in the eastern part of Germany which banded together in the 12th century under the name of the Hanseatic League. The Hanseatic League proceeded to engage in considerable commerce with England. In payment for English cattle and grain, the League used their local currency. This currency was in the form of 92.5% silver coins. England soon learned that these coins, which they referred to as "the coins of the Easterlings", were of a reliably high quality and hardness.

King Henry II set about to adopt the alloy as the standard for English currency. He imported metal refiners from the Easterling and put them to work making silver coins for England. The silver these refiners produced came into usage as currency by 1158 in the form of what are now known as "Tealby Pennies", and was eventually adopted as a standard alloy throughout England. The original term of "Easterling Silver" was later abbreviated to "Sterling Silver".

Though the coin weights and silver purity changed considerably in the intervening time (reaching a low point before the reign of Elizabeth I, who reinstated Sterling Silver coinage for the first time since the early 14th century), the pound sterling was used as currency in England from the 12th century until the middle of the 20th century. Specifically this was in the silver coins of the British Empire -- Britain, British colonies and some former British colonies. This sterling coin silver is not to be confused with the Coin silver standard.

Sterling silver, while no longer used in circulating currency anywhere in the world, is still used for flatware, jewellery and plate, and is a grade of silver respected for both relatively high purity and sufficient hardness to form durable objects in daily use.

Mint Mark Theory

Another credible theory is that, since mint marks on Sterling Silver pennies have included a star and a starling, this may be the origin of the word -- as a simple corruption of, for example, "starling silver" with common reference to the circulating coin.

Other Silver Standards

Fine Silver is 99.9% silver or better. This grade of silver is used to make bullion bars for international commodities trading. In the modern world Fine Silver is understood to be too soft for general use.

Britannia silver is purer than sterling, at least 95.84% silver and up to 4.16% copper. Its marks were Britannia and a Britannia lion's head in profile.

The Britannia standard was a standard of plate introduced between 1697 and 1720 to try to help prevent British sterling silver coins from being melted to make plate. Unfortunately the plate made from this grade of silver was too soft to use for the then current style in plate, so a simpler plate styling had to be developed.

Mexican silver is also purer than sterling, usually 95% Silver and 5% Copper. Mexico is the only country currently using silver in its circulating coinage, but these coins are not minted from 95% "Mexican Silver".

Coin Silver is 90% silver and 10% copper as dictated by United States FTC guidelines.

Coin Silver is lower grade than sterling. The Coin Silver standard was established in the US in the 1820s. This grade of silver was used in the silver coinage of the US as well as other countries that used silver currency minted in the US, such as Panama and the Philippines.

Corrosion

As the purity of the silver increases, the problem of corrosion or tarnishing lessens.

Chemically, silver is not very active — it does not react with oxygen or water at ordinary temperatures, so does not easily form a silver oxide. However, the other metal in the alloy, usually copper, may react with oxygen in the air.

Silver tarnish, however, is the formation of black silver sulfide on the surface of the metal. This tarnish is caused by sulphur and sulfides which attack the surface of the silver. Because of this, the rate of discolouration of silver by tarnish is worse with higher levels of these airborne pollutants.

Eggs, which contain a considerable quantity of sulfur as a constituent of protein, tarnish silver extremely quickly. Small amounts of sulfide occur in the atmosphere naturally, but another major man-made source is hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), which is added to natural gas used domestically. Hence a gas flame can also tarnish silver.

The black silver sulfide (Ag₂S) is among the most insoluble salts in aqueous solution, a property that is exploited for separating silver ions from other positive ions.

A typical procedure is to line a pyrex glass dish with alumimium foil so the bright side of the foil will contact the solution. Add one litre of water, and heat until near boiling.

Add one tablespoon of sodium chloride and one tablespoon of sodium bicarbonate, and gently stir to dissolve. Ensure that the silverware has been washed in warm dishwashing detergents, and well rinsed in warm water to remove dirt and grease.

Carefully add the silverware to the dish, ensuring that each item is in contact with the aluminium foil, and boil until the tarnish has disapppeared, turning the silverware if necessary. The continuous boiling is required so that the aluminium oxide continually exposes the unreacted aluminium surface beneath, otherwise the reaction will not occur. The aluminium will gradually be converted to aluminium oxide. The hydrogen that is generated in the reaction will combine with the sulfide ions to produce some hydrogen sulfide gas (rotten egg gas).

It should be noted that the process is not converting the silver back to the original hard, lustrous surface, but into a soft, white powder that can be removed easily by rubbing with a little bicarbonate of soda paste. The silver powder will be easier to remove than the tarnish would have been.

Modern Usage: Sterling Silver

Commercial Usage: Sterling Silver

Domain	Title
Books	American Sterling Silver Flatware 1830's - 1990's: A Collector's Identification and Value Guide (reference) The Warner's Collectors Guide to American Sterling Silver and Silver-Plate Hollowware (reference) (more book examples)

Consumer Goods	Sterling Silver Oval Comb & Brush Set with Beaded Border (reference) Lunt Sterling Silver Beaded Cup (reference) Sterling Silver Dumbell Rattle (reference) Sterling Silver Swiss Army Knife (reference) (more baby examples; more wireless phone examples; more garden examples; more kitchen examples; more tool examples)
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Image Slideshow: Sterling Silver

Frequency of Internet Keywords: Sterling Silver

Modern Translation: Sterling Silver

Language		Translations for "sterling silver"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses.
Finnish		aitohopea (real silver). (various references)

French		argent fin. (various references)

German		Silber von Standardwert. (various references)

Italian		sterlina (pound, quid, smacker, sterling). (various references)

Pig Latin		erlingstay ilversay

Portuguese		prata de lei (solid silver, sterling quality silver). (various references)

Spanish		plata de ley. (various references)
Source: compiled by the editor from various translation references.

Anagrams: Sterling Silver

Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams
	Words within the letters "e-e-g-i-i-l-l-n-r-r-s-s-t-v"
	-3 letters: resilvering.
	-4 letters: ingressive, instillers, inveiglers, leistering, liveliness, registries, restriving, retellings, retrieving, televising, trellising, vertigines.
	-5 letters: enlisters, genitives, grisliest, gristlier, ingestive, inserters, instiller, inveigler, inveigles, inverters, lenitives, linerless, lingerers, lingeries, listeners, liveliest, niellists, reenlists, registers, reignites, reinserts, reinvests, reinvites, relieving, relisting, reselling, reserving, reservist, resigners, resilient, resilvers, resisting, resistive, restrings, restriven, restrives, retelling, revelling.
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro.

Domain	Definition
Mining	A silver alloy containing at least 92.5% silver, the remainder beingunspecified but usually copper. (references)
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Domain	Usage
Lyrics	Sterling silver begins to melt. (You Know You're Right; performing artist: Nirvana)
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Expression	Frequency per Day	Expression	Frequency per Day
sterling silver jewelry	908	sterling silver bead wholesale	32
sterling silver	827	sterling silver watch	32
sterling silver charm	575	925 sterling silver	32
sterling silver ring	375	sterling silver money clip	32
sterling silver bead	187	sterling silver toe ring	31
sterling silver bracelet	178	sterling silver key chain	30
wholesale sterling silver jewelry	169	sterling silver cross	29
sterling silver chain	153	sterling silver beaded bracelet	29
sterling silver flatware	142	sterling silver jewerly	26
sterling silver necklace	139	sterling silver gift	23
wholesale sterling silver	126	sterling silver crosse	22
sterling silver earring	109	discount sterling silver jewelry	21
sterling silver pendant	73	antique sterling silver	21
sterling silver charm bracelet	68	sterling silver hallmark	20
wholesale sterling silver charm	64	sterling silver man bracelet	19
sterling silver rose	55	sterling silver cleaning	18
sterling silver wire	52	sterling silver mark	18
sterling silver finding	40	sterling silver ankle bracelet	18
man sterling silver ring	39	sterling silver ring wholesale	18
sterling silver anklets	33	sterling silver alphabet bead	17
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Sterling Silver

Definition: Sterling Silver

Sterling Silver

Noun

Specialty Definition: Sterling Silver

Specialty Definition: Sterling silver

Crosswords: Sterling Silver

Modern Usage: Sterling Silver

Lyrics

Commercial Usage: Sterling Silver

Books

Consumer Goods

Image Slideshow: Sterling Silver

Illustrations:Sterling Silver

Frequency of Internet Keywords: Sterling Silver

Modern Translation: Sterling Silver

Finnish

French

German

Italian

Pig Latin

Portuguese

Spanish

Anagrams: Sterling Silver

Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams

INDEX

Illustrations:
Sterling Silver