How to decipher the 916 hallmark (with a star) - is it silver or gold and how much does a gram cost today?

How to distinguish gold-plated products from gold ones if they have the same 916 standard? How to make the right choice, based not on purely external merits, but on accurate knowledge of the cost of precious metals?

When buying jewelry, I look at the mark. Although artistic features are of primary importance to me, I don’t want to miscalculate the price when purchasing: it must correspond to the quality of the precious metal from which the ring, chain, spoons, and dishes are made.

The hallmark 916 can be found on silver and gold items, and abroad gold of this composition is defined as 22 carats.

There is a simple piece of worldly wisdom: objects made from high-quality material (along with other jewelry) can be sold if necessary. They will be an inheritance, useful in the house.

This also has a direct bearing on numismatics. My friends successfully sold silver coins minted in the USSR at a critical moment for the family. But if they knew what standard their asset was, the deal could have been more profitable.

Characteristics of 916 silver

916 sterling silver is a high quality metal. He is in fourth place in the ranking. There are only three higher - 925, 960, 999. It is followed by five brands - 750, 800, 830, 875. In terms of physical and chemical indicators, it is no worse than the closely related 925. By the way, the stamp “750” is also rare.

Composition and properties

Silver alloys differ from each other in the percentage of impurities. The grade of silver itself in question is 91.6%. Other elements in alloy 916 account for 8.4 percent. Mostly it is copper.

The presence of impurities cannot be considered an absolutely bad property, because thanks to the alloy, silver becomes more resistant to damage.

Strength

The ductility of 916 silver is a wonderful feature. But it is easily subject to mechanical damage. This is a negative characteristic of dishes and jewelry made from this metal.

It is not without reason that one of the most popular alloys of copper and nickel – cupronickel (“new silver”) – has taken its rightful place, displacing real silver. Externally, such an alloy is similar to a precious metal, but corrosion resistance and strength have become decisive factors for its production. The consumer qualities of silver are inferior in this regard.

Brand

Soviet silver grade 916 had marks in the form of a barrel pressed into the object. Inside it is a star (a hammer and sickle in it), as well as a number indicating the sample.

Master jewelers made jewelry from this metal: rings, rings, as well as spoons, shot glasses, and accessories. Various techniques were used, including filigree, graining, and enamel coating. The mark is located on the back of the items.

Do you want to sell silver spoons?

The history of the silver spoon goes back a long way.
When exactly did the first of them appear? Not documented. A silver spoon today is a prestigious household item. Many copies are kept in museums, some of them have gone into private collections, others can be bought at auctions. In Europe, the so-called apostolic spoons were popular. They depicted saints or Jesus Christ. In Russia, silver was a very expensive metal and only noble people could have such a wonder. The silver spoon first firmly took its place among tableware in Russian homes under Peter the Great. He made silver an accessible metal not only among nobles, but also among peasants. In Russia, silver spoons have always been highly valued and kept in special cases.

Round, oval, and shield-shaped tablespoons are known, decorated with picturesque ornaments and depicting scenes from life.

Antique teaspoon 875 sterling silver vintage Initials EU

Antique silver spoons

Antique silver owes its name to the historical moment when it appeared. Namely, Tsarist Rus'. It was at this time that jewelry houses appeared, still known for their masterpieces. Often on antique spoons you can find an engraving of the symbol of Tsarist Rus' - a double-headed eagle. The special feature of each of them is a beautiful handle with an intricate pattern at the end.

Of course, there are examples that are not so elegantly executed. There are examples of engraving of the royal palace on handles with a smooth surface near the recess. Antique silver was previously sold in neat packages, which, unfortunately, have not survived in their entirety to this day. Copies of cutlery from Tsarist Rus' are sold at auctions for 20,000 - 50,000 rubles per piece. There are also cheaper spoons, which were imported mainly from abroad.

For example:

• Absinthe spoon Roses, sterling silver – RUB 2,992;
• Antique teaspoon 875 sterling silver vintage Initials EU – RUB 1,465;
• Antique coffee spoon 875 silver spoon, engraved – RUB 1,197

Cooking spoon. Silver 84 test

Silver spoons 84 samples

In antique stores you can often find a silver spoon with the mark 84. This means that such a product dates back to the 18-19th century. This sample is famous for the quality of silver and a slight admixture of other metals. Due to the lower percentage of impurities in antique silver, such a spoon will serve as an attribute of its owner’s well-being for a long time.

Silver with the 84 hallmark is no longer produced in our country; it can only be found in jewelry houses. The price for 84 samples is quite high.

• Khlebnikov coffee spoons – 29,000 rubles;
• spoon for removing foam – 22,000 rubles;
• spoon for removing foam – 22,000 rub.

Silver spoon 925° 9731

925 silver spoons

These spoons are considered the highest quality today, because 925 silver is the standard among other types of samples. In another way, such an alloy is called sterling. It contains 92.5 percent silver and 7.5 percent impurities of other metals. By world standards, this ratio of metals allows you to maximize the aesthetic and functional qualities of silver. It is noteworthy that such silver is used not only for making cutlery, but also jewelry.

For this reason, the price of such spoons is also high.

• “Guardian Angel” spoon with gilding – 1,742 rubles;
• Silver teaspoon “Aviator” with enamel – RUB 3,224;
• Silver spoon “Guardian Angel” with blue enamel – RUB 1,871.

USSR silver spoon

In the mid-50s of the last century, the production of silverware began in Russia. Several factories were honored to produce silver spoons. A larger number of devices were produced using the “stamping” method. And since the stamping process is a very labor-intensive and costly process, which only pays off for large orders, the number of spoons was not so large. But as the economy grew, the demand for silver tableware also increased. The price for such dishes was higher than before.

People willingly bought silver spoons because they considered it a profitable investment. But already in the 80s of the 20th century, the production of silver spoons ceased. Currently, items with the stamp of the USSR are becoming increasingly rare.

The cost increases from year to year.

• Cocktail spoons. 916 sterling silver. USSR – 5,000 rubles;
• Silver teaspoon. 2 pcs. Enamel. USSR - 2200 rubles;
• Spoon for compote. Cupronickel. USSR – 300 rubles.

Silver Spoon Valuation - Free

If this information is not enough for you and you want to know the exact cost of your products, then you can contact specialists. Use the feedback form below and describe your coin. You will receive an estimate immediately, this service is provided free of charge.

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Application of this alloy

If silver of low grades is used mainly for the manufacture of cutlery, dishes, and household items, then grade 916 is a material not only for jugs or enamel cups, but also for jewelry.

Silverware has always been considered a wonderful wedding gift. Small objects made of this metal, which have bactericidal properties, are given as gifts for the birth or christening of a child. As a rule, this is a dessert, tea, or coffee spoon. There are vintage pieces on the market that are wonderful in design.

Price of silver on the market

916 silver is a relatively inexpensive metal that is widely in demand on the market regardless of its cost. If you compare it with gold or platinum, it costs tens of times less. This may be due to its large reserves and limited application possibilities. It is important to know that over the years the price per g has not decreased at all; on the contrary, it has been growing slightly. On average, 1 g of silver costs about 30 rubles, while gold costs from 1,500 rubles. The sample doesn't really matter here. It's all about the cost of raw materials and the complexity of their extraction. The purchase price of silver is usually even lower and is approximately 15-20 rubles. Due to all this, selling it is not very profitable. But some sell scrap and make good money from it. Some jewelry and cutlery are quite expensive, but this is not due to the silver, but because they are made by craftsmen and various engravings are used. This is a kind of pattern or design on a product to give it greater beauty and aesthetics.

How much does 1 gram of silver of this standard cost?

Prices are constantly changing, and this also applies to the brand we are discussing. In the precious metals market, it was sold in the range of 20 to 35 rubles per gram in the last decade. When measured on the stock exchange, the price is set per troy ounce. When prices jump, there is a steady tendency for the cost of silver of this standard to increase.

Silver prices are constantly changing. Therefore, the article presents an online graph:

The price table for 1 gram is given below:

Recommendations for care, cleaning and storage

Caring for any silver product must be thorough. There are modern sprays and aerosols with a special composition. They can also clean it in a workshop. At home, dark plaque can be easily removed in this way:

• wash in warm soapy water;
• clean with a soft cloth with a mixture of ammonia and chalk;
• rinse with warm water and wipe dry.

Once upon a time it was suggested to rub silver with tooth powder. There are two more ways to refresh your silver items:

• rinse in warm water with baking soda (50 g per 1 liter of water);
• rinse in warm soapy water with ammonia (1 tablespoon per 1 liter of water).

But there is nothing better than the old method of gently rubbing silver surfaces with a piece of wool or suede. You will have to spend a lot of time, but the effect is wonderful.

Also watch a video on how you can test silver at home:

Reviews

Galya: I decided not to take the filigree silver cracker to the pawnshop just yet. I don’t know what year it is, there is a mark, I need to learn to decipher it before I take it.

Nadya: I bought vintage Soviet-era gilded coffee spoons with enamel from an ad. It seemed inexpensive, but I still can’t figure out the prices correctly.

Maria: Previously, a care booklet was always included with a piece of jewelry. There was a lot of practical advice from Jewelrytorg.

Elena: I always wonder why some silver chains darken and others don’t. Even one sample.

Characteristics of 916 gold

Gold grade 916 can only be found abroad. The mark on gold-plated items produced in Russia in the 20th century is evidence that they are made from silver of this standard.

Expert opinion

Vsevolod Kozlovsky

6 years in jewelry making. Knows everything about samples and can identify a fake in 12 seconds

It should be noted that 916 is a very good standard for gold, since the approved standards in Russia are 375, 500, 585, 750 and 958. Obviously, the number 916 indicates a high gold content in the item being studied.

Photos of products made by Indian jewelers leave an excellent impression. They have access to complex techniques. If the grade of gold and the price of it are in accordance with each other, such jewelry finds its buyer.

Composition, color and brand

Since the sample indicates the percentage composition, it means that 916 is the number of grams of pure gold per 1000 grams of alloy. The remaining 84 grams are copper. In some cases, the admixture of copper is 54 g plus 30 g of silver. This gold has an attractive bright yellow hue.

The gold hallmark is “916” or “22” K (sometimes just “22”). The designation “22 K” may not be supplemented with anything, or it may be located inside a figure (square, rectangle, complex figure), where the weight of the product is sometimes indicated.

Where is it used?

916 gold is well known to numismatists; it is coinable. Collectible coins in the USA, United Kingdom, and South Africa are minted from it. Investing in coins is popular all over the world. They are produced regularly, their number currently exceeds tens of millions. Russian investment coins are made from 999 mark gold.

The jewelry that tourists buy in China and India may be made of gold of this standard. She is very popular in the East. Although this test is also common on the American continent and in Europe.

How many carats are in this sample?

By the way, those who want to buy jewelry while traveling should clarify the difference between the metric and karat gold classification systems. When a seller recommends a 22-carat item to you, it means that he is advising you to buy the item you like, 916 carat.

Expert opinion

Vsevolod Kozlovsky

6 years in jewelry making. Knows everything about samples and can identify a fake in 12 seconds

One more clarification. 22 carats in gold can be called both 916 and 917 marks, since the amount of pure gold according to the karat system will correspond to 916.667 g per 1000 g of alloy. That is, by rounding this number up or down, we get an approximate value in the metric system.

Price per 1 gram in Russia today

If you decide to get rid of jewelry that you are already bored with, then for 1 gram of gold of the brand in question you will receive no more than 2,200 rubles. And if you liked something interesting in a Russian jewelry salon, then 5,000 rubles will cost 1 gram of a new product. At the same time, the market price of 916 gold is 2,400 rubles. The pawnshop sets its own prices.

We offer a chart of price changes for 916 gold:

Below is a table of prices for gold 916 marks:

Silver alloy composition

916 sterling silver is an alloy of 916 grams of silver and 84 grams of impurities. Impurities are present in the alloy not so much to reduce the cost of the material, but to give the metal special properties. It is known that pure silver is quite soft, so products made from it would quickly lose their appearance. At the same time, the addition of a small amount of impurities (mainly copper) gives silver sufficient strength and wear resistance. Despite the additives, it still has a noble white tint and shine and allows you to create elegant products. At the same time, silver objects of this standard can be used daily and periodically cleaned from dirt and dark spots.