875 sterling silver: items stamped with a star or a woman’s head. Features and differences

Jewelry stores offer visitors a wide selection of products made from all kinds of precious alloys. The difficulty in buying jewelry today is that with the current level of development of processing technologies (rhodium plating, plating), jewelry made from different metals is virtually indistinguishable from each other for the average person. Confusion with additives in metals is also possible: various ligatures can give jewelry almost any imaginable shade - green, red, black and others (ligatures themselves are necessary in jewelry, since pure metals without additives are too difficult to process). Such conditions are a paradise for all sorts of counterfeiters who pass off cheap metal as more expensive, which raises a pressing question: is 875 gold silver or gold and does it exist at all?

Composition and properties of silver alloy with 875 purity

The number 875 means that per 1000 g of alloy there are 875 g of pure silver and 125 g of various impurities.

Soviet 875 silver has established itself as an example of quality, so products produced during the Soviet era, when standards were strictly adhered to, are valued much higher than products with modern markings.

Nowadays, most often, copper is used as an alloy, which gives the product strength, but also a yellowish tint. Aluminum, nickel, and cadmium can also be used as impurities. Each of the additives directly affects the color and physical properties of the resulting alloy. Some production options may have used platinum and palladium. Interestingly, nickel and platinum give the alloy a color that cannot be distinguished from the color of white gold, which unscrupulous sellers can take advantage of by offering to purchase an 875 gold item.

Advantages and disadvantages

The 875 alloy is one of the most common because it has many advantages:

• the relatively low content of impurities has a positive effect on the degree of oxidation of the metal, such silver darkens more slowly;
• the alloy does not have a yellowish tint characteristic of the material of the 800th and 830th samples;
• products are more practical: the strength and hardness of the raw materials make them suitable for washing and cleaning;
• the relevance of the material is not reduced due to ease of processing;
• the price for 1 gram of such silver is quite affordable.

The main disadvantage of the alloy is its low ductility, which makes it difficult to decorate products with thin decorative elements.

875 silver hallmarks and their meanings

For 10 years after the overthrow of the imperial regime until 1927. There were no standards for hallmarking precious metals. Beginning in 1927, the first mark, with the introduction of the metric testing system, was the image of a worker’s head at the ready with a hammer, combined with an alphabetic code (state inspection) and the number of the corresponding sample. Later they added a code for the year of manufacture of the product.

From May 1958, the worker's head was replaced by a five-pointed star with a hammer and sickle in the center. This mark was used until 1994.

In modern Russia, since 1994, a stamp has been affixed with the image of a female head in a kokoshnik, looking to the right.

An 84 hallmark on silver means that the item was made before 1917 and is likely to have high value among antique dealers and collectors. This sign belonged to the spool system, operating in the Russian Empire from the end of the 18th century to 1927. A more accurate age of an object can be determined from the image, which was affixed along with the metal sample numbers.

What is 875 sample with a star?

Each state uses its own labeling system, approved by the relevant control body. The appearance of the mark differs depending on the country that issued it.

Silver products made in Russia are marked with various types of hallmarks. It depends on the period of manufacture of the silver alloy:

• issued from 1958 to 1994 - marked with a stamp with a symbolic design of a five-pointed star containing a hammer and sickle;
• after 1994 - marked with a profile picture of the girl.

875 silver from the Soviet period (it has a star) is the most valuable. It is not currently produced, which already increases the value, and the image indicates the authenticity of the alloy: in the USSR there were no imported metals with a lower content of the main element. For these reasons, the cost per gram of metal with a star is higher than for products with a kokoshnik.

875 silver hallmark with head

The hallmark of 875 silver with the head of a woman in a kokoshnik turned to the right has been affixed since 1994. A similar image was used to mark 84-karat royal silver in the spool system. In addition to the female image, various forms of hallmarks are used to brand different precious metals.

For silver, it is an oval with cut off sides, into which the profile of a woman is inscribed - the sign of the assay certificate, numbers - the designation of the metal standard and the letter - the code of the state inspection of the assay supervision.

And this is what a silver stamp with a worker’s head looks like from 1927 to 1958.

Types of sample

Quote: 875 sample is just a myth and a trick in the deck of scammers and unscrupulous sellers. The likelihood of encountering aurum of this sample in the Russian Federation and CIS countries is negligible.

In Russia, the metric system is widespread with a clear nomenclature of samples, with its own system of marks. The gold mark in the Russian Federation looks like an elongated rectangle, the silver one looks like a barrel. Sample list of official nomenclature:

As you can see, 875 aurum is simply absent from the Russian nomenclature: the alloy is not gold, but silver. Argentum hallmarks are different from gold indicators, their nomenclature is as follows: 800, 830, 875, 925, 960, 999. It is easy to notice the presence of the number 875 in the list of argentum hallmarks, which already answers the main question: gold with such hallmarks does not exist in the Russian Federation, The digital designation refers to silver.

What does the mark mean?

A hallmark is a state guarantor that confirms the presence of a certain proportion of the most valuable metal in an alloy. If you can read the mark on a piece of jewelry, you can learn more about its history and making.

In Russian jewelry production, a branding system with 3 elements is used:

• a three-digit code indicating the letters of the state inspection inspectorate (8 cm): it contains the year of manufacture, the inspection inspection code and the manufacturer’s code;
• hallmark mark: for products of the Soviet period - a five-pointed star, in modern Russia - a female profile with a kokoshnik;
• license plate.

What is a sample?

People who are far from jewelry making are not familiar with the meaning of the word “sample.” We may wear gold jewelry marked 999 and know that this is a sign of the highest quality of the yellow metal, but not know why. So, this is the metal content of the jewelry. The gold chain with the hallmark 750 contains 75% aurum, the silver necklace contains 960–96% argentum. The remaining share comes from other metals, since most of the jewelry on the jewelry counter is alloys. These metals give the product special properties:

• ductility;
• desired shade;
• strength;
• elasticity.

A mark indicating the precious metal content is always applied to the surface of the jewelry.

Transition to the metric assay system

Really major changes occurred in 1927, when Russia switched from the old spool system to the new metric system. At that time, a similar system was already in operation in Germany and soon promised to become an international standard.

Unlike the spool system, which is tied to an exclusively Russian measure of weight - the spool, the metric system allows you to determine the proportion of precious metal in the alloy. For example, a 585-grade alloy contains 585 g of pure precious metal and 415 g of impurities, respectively, per 1000 g of alloy. In this case, the metal sample is indicated on the product with three numbers, and not two, as with the spool system.

The transition to the metric system was not the only new thing in 1927. A new brand appeared, which depicted the head of a worker with a hammer. It is quite natural, given the dramatic political changes in the country and the rise to power of the Soviets.

Western standard

If a buyer discovers a gold product with 875 purity, there is a high probability of deception and encountering counterfeiting. But this rule does not always work. Gold with such a fineness actually exists: 875 gold is a tracing-paper from the karat system of notation of fineness in the USA and Western Europe, a simplification for a better understanding of residents where the metric system is common. Carat marking of products is 21k (unlike the metric system, in the carat system the division is not into kilograms, grams, but into 24 parts; in the case of 875, this means the presence of 21 parts of gold out of 24 in the total mass). If you encounter products bearing such a mark, you should carefully look at the country of origin; if it is the USA or Europe, then the likelihood of authenticity is quite high.

It is worth considering that marking in carats is not official in Russia, but is not prohibited by law. The presence of karat markings instead of metric ones cannot be considered an unambiguous factor of counterfeiting, although it should alert us, since the application of an unfamiliar mark has no particular reason or logic, but can serve unscrupulous purposes of deception.

USSR silver samples, all sample numbers

The Soviet government cared little about hallmarking silver, since the priority goal was to audit precious items and subsequently sell them to other countries, since it was necessary to raise funds for the world revolution. The first actions regarding the normalization of processes in the jewelry business were made a year after the revolution, when control over all processes was entrusted to a commission that was formed under the Council of People's Commissars.

Almost ten years later, silver hallmarking was carried out according to the rules that were introduced under Tsarist Russia. The document was published at the end of the nineteenth century. The purity of silver was determined by the presence of a mark. which looked like a woman's head in a kokoshnik, which is enclosed in shields of various shapes. The shapes were round, rectangular, oval or hammer-shaped. Next to the image was a number indicating the sample, and the initials of the heads of the assay districts were also indicated. In 1908, the marking was changed, and the female profile began to be turned to the right side, and the district was designated in Greek letters.

These marks continued to be used at enterprises that opened after the revolution. In 1918, a platinum plant began operating in the capital, which was created on the basis of the factory named after. Khlebnikov. He was engaged in the production of products intended for enterprises in the chemical and electrical industries, and also dealt in small batches of silver cutlery, namely spoons, forks and cup holders. These products were marked with the “Platinopribor” mark.

In the twenties of the last century, jewelry was made in artisanal jewelry workshops. Their number increased greatly, and the People's Commissariat for Finance allowed the free sale of jewelry. As a result, in 1923, the Moscow Jewelry Partnership was created, which was supposed to control the production and sale of gold and silver items. As a result, for three years all jewelry products were labeled “MYT”.

At the end of the revolution, only three assay offices operated for a long time, which were located in the capital, St. Petersburg and Kostroma, but since 1924 there were already fourteen of them. Precious materials were already weighed and began to be counted in metric units, and silver samples no longer had double digits. but three-digit.

In 1927, a new branding system was adopted, which continued to operate for thirteen years. All silver items had to correspond to the official hallmarks and be marked with the hallmark of the assay office. The authenticity of the products was confirmed by a relief or linear image of a worker holding a hammer on his shoulder. The organization code was also added to this picture, and each of them was distinguished by a separately assigned Greek letter, which could periodically be replaced by a symbol with various combinations.

Since 1936, an All-Union Office was created to regulate the sales and production of precious items, which became the legal successor of Mostorg. A jewelry factory was created in the capitals of each republic, which was supposed to mark its products with a special mark. They acted in the same way in artels and industrial plants, which were actively opened in the thirties of the last century.

Since 1953, the last digits of the year of manufacture of products began to be added to the mark. For example, “TZ0” meant that the item was made by representatives of the Tallinn Jewelry Factory in 1960. If the letters at the enterprises were identical, then the hallmark inspection codes were examined to determine the place of production.

Hallmarks on silver after 1958

Since June 1958, the branding system has been revised again. The design became in the form of a hammer and sickle, which was placed inside a five-pointed star. Until 1965, it was convex, and then it became mortise, because this mark could be renewed after the item had been used for a long time. The codes of assay organizations were designated in Russian letters and were sometimes written as strokes and dots in special combinations that were understood only by specialists on this issue.

The main features of the Soviet mark:

• the Cyrillic letter denoting the assay office;
• a convex or flat star with a hammer and sickle;
• sample number;
• rectangular shield with oval edges.

Since 1969, the last digit of the year has been moved to the beginning of the sign. For example, combinations from the “3LU” category appeared, which meant that the product was produced at a jewelry factory in Leningrad in 1973. At the same time, the Moscow Mint stamped “MMD”, and if the item was restored, then the letter “R” was added to it "

Since the second half of the seventies, the Soviet jewelry industry already had many large enterprises that used modern equipment. Factories began to produce a variety of silver goods, including jewelry, dishes, souvenirs, and precious stones. To develop and modernize production, the Soyuzyuvelirprom association was created. However, this unification did not affect the principles of silver hallmarking, because the system did not change until 1994.

How is it different from other alloys?

Silicon and germanium are added only to 875 silver alloy. This is one of the few silver alloys that has such a wide and expensive composition, since most gold samples consist exclusively of silver, copper and platinum. In addition, this silver alloy is less soft, ductile and malleable than other silver samples.

If we talk about the quality of this alloy, then according to this indicator, experts put it in second place among all silver alloys. The first place is occupied by 925 standard, which is more expensive and contains much more pure silver, and is one of the most popular alloys when creating jewelry. If we compare 875 and 925 sterling silver, the latter is purer and more expensive, and is used to create expensive jewelry, which cannot be said about 875 sterling silver.

Application

If we talk directly about the quality of such a silver alloy, then according to this parameter, jewelers place it in second place among all existing silver alloys. 925 standard holds the top spot - this metal is considered more expensive, since the concentration of pure argentum in it is much higher. This alloy has become one of the most popular in the manufacture of jewelry. If we compare products of 875 and 925 samples, the latter will be purer and more expensive.

Basically, 875 silver is used to make cutlery, which is quite expensive. The 875 alloy lends itself well to any mechanical processing, so a cutlery manufacturer can make the most beautiful and unusual products from it. The color and shine of this metal is especially attractive, which attracts manufacturers of table sets.

In addition, 875 silver is often used to create:

• budget jewelry;
• costume jewelry;
• any accessories;
• interior items.

Due to its affordable price and high performance characteristics, this material is recognized as one of the most popular and used in industry in a wide variety of areas.

Decorations

Among the jewelry, antique 875 silver with the mark of a five-pointed star is of particular value. In antique shops you can find various items, mainly rings, earrings, and pendants. Often inlaid with inexpensive natural stones (turquoise, topaz, etc.). A lot of ethnic style jewelry is made from this metal, which does not require the smallest detail.

Modern 875 silver jewelry is not particularly valuable.

Cutlery

875 silver tableware is also valued. Just as in the case of jewelry, cutlery made during the Soviet era will be much more expensive than modern ones. Just as the quality of the metal matters, so does the historical value of the item.

The choice of silverware is very wide: these include tea and coffee sets, cup holders, shot glasses, glasses, spoons, forks, sugar bowls, etc. The cost of modern manufactured items will directly depend on the weight of the product.

Industry

Slaves with a silver content of 0.875 are used in industry:

• production of contacts and relays,
• as an integral component of rechargeable batteries,
• element of capacitors, microwave ovens, etc.

What goes with it?

If we talk about the industrial production of 875 silver cutlery, then in this case silver is combined with white and yellow gold. By combining several types of precious metals, such as silver and gold, you get excellent cutlery that looks quite expensive, but does not cost much. Silver by itself does not go well with precious stones of different colors, and they are most often not inlaid into cutlery.

If we talk about the jewelry industry, many people are accustomed to wearing silver in its pure form, and not trying to mix it with other precious metals and stones.

Where can I buy or sell, price per gram

You can purchase products made from 875 silver:

• in specialized jewelry stores, jewelry islands in large shopping centers. Jewelry and cutlery from domestic and foreign jewelry factories are sold here, the price depends on the weight of the product and the price of 1 gram of silver;
• in pawn shops, antique shops or flea markets. Sometimes you can find interesting rare items there at reasonable prices;
• at auctions on the Internet. Both antiques and modern items are sold here, but it is difficult to verify authenticity from photos, and the prices per gram are quite high.

Those wishing to sell their own silver items are recommended to use the services of various purchases and pawn shops. However, it is necessary to understand that it will be possible to sell products in purchases at the price of 1 gram of scrap valuable metals, that is, very cheaply.

How to distinguish from a fake?

875 gold does not exist. However, scammers very often pass off silver with this marker as white gold. In terms of external characteristics, these two precious metals are indeed very similar to each other.

But the price of the first is only 30-50 rubles per gram, and the second is 2800-6500 rubles per gram. Such deception is a very profitable deal for criminals, and a real robbery for buyers.

To avoid purchasing silver instead of white gold, when purchasing a product it is important to pay attention to the little things:

1. Unreasonably low price. This should immediately alert you. Even if you need to quickly get money, white gold products can be sold without any significant financial losses.
2. Study the mark. The boundaries of the mark must be clear, not blurred, have a number and shape. Do not forget about the peculiarities of the type of print itself, which is shaped like a barrel. Sometimes, unfortunately, a fake brand cannot be distinguished from a real one. Some brands that fell into the hands of dishonest businessmen after the collapse of the USSR may be genuine.
3. Inaccurate fastening of stones. On a fake, stones often have poor-quality fastening, which indicates falsification.
4. Test the product using iodine from your home medicine cabinet. Drop it onto an object and watch the reaction: iodine becomes lighter on silver and darkens on gold.
5. Use a magnet. Gold does not attract him.
6. Contact a specialist. Palladium and platinum, which are alloyed with white gold, give a unique shine to the products. An alloy of silver with the addition of copper after technological processing looks like white gold. Often only a jeweler can distinguish a fake.

875 standard with star is a very practical and high-quality alloy for jewelry and ornaments. Having figured out the authenticity of the item you are buying in time, you should not overpay for it.

Verification methods

Aurum 875, in fact, does not exist in Russia; in 99% of cases, attempts to sell such products are a common deception. There is definitely logic in such actions, because the cost of gold ranges from 2,300 rubles to 7,000, while silver can be bought for 32 rubles at the current exchange rate.

Gilded, processed silver is extremely difficult to distinguish from gold, but for a beginner it is simply impossible; if the deception is successful, the profit of the criminals is not only high, it is exorbitant.

For the buyer, this is akin to ordinary theft, so before buying jewelry, if in doubt, you should perform the following steps:

1. Pay attention to the brand and number. If there is a low-quality stamp, blurred boundaries, questionable shapes (a barrel instead of a rectangle) and others, everything can indicate a fake. The factor is important, but not decisive: modern fraudsters can easily fake the mark on a product;
2. be sure to request a certificate, pay attention to the quality of the material (not only metals are replaced, they also try to replace various samples of gold, cheaper ones with more expensive ones). The certificate is the main document for the product; comprehensive information about the product can be obtained there;
3. The fact of a low price for a gold product will also be questionable. Either it is a cheaper material, or the gold is stolen;
4. do a simple iodine test by dropping it on the metal. In case of darkening it is gold, in case of lightening it is silver;
5. If possible, consult a professional jeweler. There is a high probability of falling into the network of experienced fraudsters with an abundance of necessary documents. In this case, only an expert can help.

Why do they fake it? Does 875 gold exist?

Externally, 875 silver differs little from white gold. The similarity effect can be achieved using a special coating - gilding. Unscrupulous sellers often pass off silver items as gold with an 875 marker. This way they increase the cost of jewelry: silver costs no more than 60 rubles per 1 gram, while the price of white gold starts from 5,000 rubles.

It is important to remember: there is no gold with such a marker.

Price

1 gram of 875 silver with a star costs about 30-50 rubles. This is significantly less than the cost of 1 gram of gold. But the cost of items marked 875 with a star differs significantly from the price of scrap. These are things with history, and not just products made of precious metal.

Regardless of the price of silver in the market, the price will always rise.

The originality and uniqueness of products is important to the consumer, therefore the mark with a star serves as an old type of marking, ensuring the uniqueness of a small-run item.

When manufacturing precious metal alloys in the USSR, strict standards were strictly observed. This sample was used to produce many souvenirs and objects that had already passed out of everyday life: cup holders, cigarette cases, shot glasses, candy vases, ashtrays.

In addition, products with hallmark 875 are no longer produced. Every year the age of the products increases. They become antiques. Silver sports cups made in the post-war period can now cost a fortune.

The “star” brand still evokes the respect of jewelers to this day. It was set on 875 silver from 1958 to 1994. Most of these products are classified as antiques, so their cost is much higher than the average price of 30-50 rubles per gram. They are sold at least 2 times more expensive.

How can you recognize a fake?

Most often, buyers have little understanding of the characteristics and properties of valuable metals, which is what scammers take advantage of. You can avoid being scammed when buying 875 silver items, the price per gram of which is in the average range, if you pay attention to some details.

It is necessary to carefully study the mark on the product because:

• in the case of using raw materials of a lower standard, the mark has a fuzzy outline;
• when transferring a stamp from one item to another, traces of soldering are barely noticeable;
• in different historical periods, the hallmarks of the 875 alloy differed in different countries (you need to familiarize yourself with the marking features).

We can determine whether we really have a silver product in front of us, and how high quality it is, by the following signs:

• silver does not interact with a magnet, that is, if a piece of jewelry or figurine is magnetic, it is definitely a fake made of another metal;
• high thermal conductivity means that when placed in hot water, silver instantly heats up;
• if you scratch the product, in case of a fake, you can find another metal under a thin layer of silver plating;
• High quality 875 silver does not stain your hands, even if darkened.

The low price per 1 gram should alert you: it may be a fake.

Important note: turning to specialists (jewelers, appraisers) for help if you have the slightest doubt about the authenticity of a piece of jewelry or household item will help you avoid fraud and save money.

How to independently evaluate a product made of 875 silver?

It is possible to evaluate 875 silver by its mark; if the image is modern, then the cost of the product will vary from 20 to 40 rubles. per gram (at the Central Bank rate).

If a mark with the image of a five-pointed star or the head of a worker with a hammer is found on the product, then it is difficult to determine the price of such a product on your own. Examine the mark; the boundaries should be clear. Perhaps this is a rarity that will be purchased at tens or even hundreds of times the cost of a regular alloy.

Hallmark

The first thing you should pay attention to when choosing jewelry is the 825 Silver hallmark. But trying to determine a material by color or other external characteristics is a mistake. The mark indicates the pure percentage of the precious metal contained in the composition. Everything else is impurities. The composition is of great importance, since it is it that determines the shade, wear resistance, hardness or softness, and allergenicity of the material.

Marking is an important evidence of the authenticity of the alloy. The state mark on the product indicates that it is legally sold in Russia.

How to care?

Like any argentum alloy, 875 metal is highly susceptible to oxidative processes during interaction with air and sulfur compounds. Silver is one of the most reactive metals that reacts with elements present in the air. If an item or jewelry made of 875 silver is used for a long time, it will very quickly turn black and lose its original shine and shade. In addition, the oxidized surface of argentum 875 sometimes becomes unpleasant to the touch.

In addition to oxidation, with constant use this alloy reacts with sulfur, which is present in the air in small quantities. In addition, one of the main sources of sulfur is human sweat - if you often use cutlery made of 875 silver or wear jewelry made of it, then as a result of contact with the skin, they will lose their spectacular appearance over time.

However, there is no need to be upset. Nowadays, there are quite a few ways that allow you to quickly clean silver items and return them to their characteristic shine and color. If you wish, you can always purchase special liquids ; they can prevent and neutralize oxidative processes, but these products are quite expensive.

That is why most owners of jewelry of this standard use traditional methods - they require only the simplest ingredients.

In the first case, you will need warm water, soda, and citric acid. If from time to time you dip your products for a quarter of an hour in such a solution, they will retain their shade and quickly return their characteristic shine.

The second method will also require a liquid solution, only instead of lemon juice it contains regular alcohol. It is dissolved in water with the addition of soda . Such a solution completely stops or stops oxidative processes and thereby prevents the darkening of your silver item.

However, you can use only soda solution. To return the surface to its original shade, you need to boil the product in it for 15-20 minutes (don’t forget to add a little foil there).

To clean silver, you can use toothpaste - to do this, apply it to a soft fluffy brush and thoroughly rub the surface of the product, then rinse and wipe dry.

is considered one of the most effective means for cleaning Argentum at home . To perform the procedure, you need to dissolve ammonia in water and place the product there for 20 minutes. After such cleansing, it will quickly regain its aesthetic appearance and shimmering shine.

It is very important to pay special attention to creating storage conditions for your silver items - they should be placed in a dry place with air flow, preferably on linen or cotton.

After each use, be sure to thoroughly wash and dry your 875 sterling silver cutlery.

If you become the owner of jewelry made from such an alloy, take it off before going to the bathhouse or swimming pool, and avoid wearing it during other water procedures.

How to clean an 875 sterling silver item

Today, there are many ways to clean silver from contaminants or oxidation. Also, recently, specialized liquids have become popular, with which you can prevent the oxidation of silver. All these means are quite expensive and take time. To easily clean 875 sterling silver at home, you only need a few inexpensive and simple ingredients. The first method will require a solution of warm water, citric acid and soda. If you periodically dip your product in this solution for 15 minutes, it will quickly return to its original beauty and color.

The second method will also require a solution, but instead of citric acid, ordinary alcohol, which dissolves with water and soda, can be useful. This solution can also slow down or completely stop the process of oxidation and darkening of your product.

Sources

• https://golden-inform.ru/proby/serebro-875-proby-izdeliya-s-klejmom-zvezda-ili-golova-zhenshhiny/
• https://zaimzoloto.ru/articles/chto-takoe-proba-875/
• https://magnetline.ru/metally-i-splavy/chto-takoe-serebro-875-proby.html
• https://ProDragmetally.ru/dragotsennye-metally/serebro/875-proba.html
• https://ssudy.ru/articls/istoriya-proby-i-kleyma-sovetskiy-period
• https://pronedra.ru/kakie-sushhestvovali-proby-serebra-v-sssr-i-chto-voobshhe-oznachaet-proba-468029.html
• https://mysamocvet.ru/metally/serebro-875-proby/
• https://vplate.ru/metally-i-splavy/875-proba/
• https://mitsu-market.ru/metally/875-proba.html
• https://socketmira.ru/dragocennye-kamni/875-proba-so-zvezdoj.html