The big mystery - silver or silver-plated?

[JensF.]

Due the recent discussions about silver or silver-plated awards here are some basic informations about different metals and platings.

1.) A real silver award will always have a very even patina. If not, you have either a silver-plated award or a piece which was made from a silver-alloy like the late war made Württemberg Charlottenkreuz, the Württemberg Military Merit Medal or the Hessen Allgemeines Ehrenzeichen. A silver-alloy will have a strange overall color maybe with some discolorations.

Here are two Silver St. Henry Medals. The left one is made from a late war silver-alloy, the right one is with high silver content, maybe 800 or more:

[JensF.]

2.) Silver weights more than bronze. If you have two awards with the same thickness, the silver-plated award should be lighter.
Here are some specific weights of different metals:

Platinum (Pl): 21,5 g
Gold (Au): 19,3 g
Silver (Ag): 10,1 g
Nickel (Ni): 8,9 g
Iron (Fe): 7,7 g
Copper (Cu): 8,9 g
Zink (Zn): 7,0 g
Stannous (Sn): 7,3 g
Lead (Pb): 11,4 g
Aluminum (Al): 2,7 g
Magnesium (Mg): 2,4 g

It is very interesting to see that silver is nearly as heavy as lead!

[JensF.]

3.) It helps a lot to know the different alloys used for awards.

-Billon (Silver-Copper alloy with a low silver content)

-Brass (Copper-Zink alloy; about 40% - 60 % Copper)

-Bronze (Copper-Stannous alloy)

-Copper-Nickel / Alpakka (Copper-Nickel alloy; used for british medals and a lot of the imperial Long Service Awards)

-Cupal (Copper-Aluminum alloy)

-Neusilber or German Silver (Copper-Zink-Nickel alloy, NO silver content)

-Silver-alloy or Base-Silver (alloy with low silver content)

-Tombak (Copper-Zink alloy with very high Copper content of 67 - 90 %)

[JensF.]

4.) Magnetism. The only metals which are magnetic are Iron and Nickel. A Copper-Nickel alloy is usually not magnetic because of the low silver content. Real Nickel is a littel bit magnetic.

[JensF.]

5.) Identify a silver plating.
If you have an unworn award which is maybe silver-plated, you can only identify it by its weight in comparison with a same sized real silver award (with silver mark or worn and with even patina and no base metal visible).

This Württemberg Silver Military Merit Medal below is made from silver-plated bronze. On the ears of Wilhelm II. you can see the bronze base metal were the plating is worn off.

[Klaus O.]

Jens,

Thanks for your kind explaination! Very interesting...

Ciao,

Claudio

[JensF.]

6.) The Iron Cross.
Now how to identify an Iron Cross with silver-plated frame from a real silver framed cross? If the cross is not worn and in mint condition, it is nearly impossible. But if you have only a small damage to the plating you will see a difference in the patina, because you have another metal, mostly Nickel (rarely Brass or Iron) on this point, which will have another patina.

Below is a cross with real silver frame (maker "K" with rounded corners on the cross). Note the even and dark silver patina:

[JensF.]

Watch for the part were the ring is soldered. Due the solder you have there another color/patina too.

Here is another cross with a lighter patina, but real silver too (maker "Wa." in the small ring).

[JensF.]

Here is a clearly silver-plated cross (maker "KO"). The parts with the damaged or worn off plating and the different colored patina of the base metal, maybe Nickel, are visible:

[JensF.]

Tom Y can you post a pic of an iron frame EKII?

[Daniel Krause]

Hi Jens,

very useful info! Thank for sharing and please continue.

Beste Grüße

Daniel

[JensF.]

Thanks Claudio and Daniel!

Here is another example. The Medaille für Verdienst im Kriege from Schwarzburg. The bronze is clearly visible on the rim were the silver-plating is rubbed off due wearing.

[Klaus O.]

Jens,

Of which material is made this St. Heinrich medal (mit Stempelschneider F.U.)? I am just curious to hear your opinion...

Ciao,

Claudio

[JensF.]

It looks like the one I've posted above. But difficult to say with this a little bit discolored scan.