950 silver is a type of silver that was once common in the US and several other countries. Below we'll provide more detail about this silver type and how much it can be worth.
What Is 950 Silver?
950 silver is real silver with a high purity. The number 950 refers to its level of purity, and it means that your silver item is 95% silver and 5% alloy. This number system is an easy way to tell an item's purity. Another example is 900 silver which is equal to 90% silver.
In the 19th century the US produced 950 silver items for higher quality pieces. You can also find 950 silver items from foreign countries such as France, Japan, Netherlands, and Switzerland.
How to Find Markings
Markings are easy to spot for any type of silver piece. You should clearly see the number 950 engraved on the piece. If you have a piece of jewelry then the number may be smaller and more concealed, but it should still be visible.
The Value of Your 950 Silver
In order to get the melt value of your 950 silver piece, you'll need to multiply the total ounces of silver by the spot price of silver. We make this easy for you with our scrap silver calculator. All you need to do is load up the calculator, select 950 from the purity dropdown box, enter the weight of your item, and then click the 'calculate' button.
It's always good to know the value of your silver item. If you were ever going to sell your item then you have a base price.
Alternatives
Silver items come in all different types of purities. Below we will review two similar alternatives to 950 silver.
925 Silver
925 sterling silver is the most common type of silver for American silver items. It has become the modern-day standard. 925 silver has 2.63% less silver content, so therefore it's less pure and a little more durable.
900 Silver
900 silver is similar to 950 silver. The only difference is that 900 silver has 5.26% more alloy, so therefore it's less pure and a little more durable. Many US coins minted before 1965 contain 900 silver. In addition, 900 silver can also be found in items produced in foreign countries such as China and Germany.