Sterling Silver!

Sham S.Misri

Silver is one of the most widely distributed of all metals. The mining of silver has been carried on from ancient times. Usually silver comes in ores from which it is separated. Sometimes it is found in solid pieces. One such piece was found in Norway. It was a piece of solid silver that weighed nearly 750 Kg. (three quarters of a ton)! In Europe, kings depended on it as their source of wealth. When the Spanish silver mines began to run low, the King of Spain was delighted that the discovery of America led him to obtain the great silver mines of Mexico and Peru. The mines of Peru produced four Million Dollar worth of silver every year for 250 years for the kings of Spain!

 Silver is too soft to be used in its pure state, so it is combined with other metals. Silver coins may contain 90% of silver and 10% copper. The sterling silver of which jewellery and silverware are made contains 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper. The name “sterling has a curious origin. It comes from a North German family called Easterling.  The Easterlings were such honest traders that king John of England gave them the job of making the English coins in 1215. They did it so well and truly that their name is still used as a sign of solid worth. All sterling silver is stamped with a hallmark, either the word “sterling” or a symbol, depending on the country. Pure silver does not tarnish in pure air. When it turns black, that is a sign there is sulphur in the air. Next to gold, silver is the easiest metal to work with. One gram of silver can be drawn into wire of nearly one mile long! Amazing!