How to Tell if Silver is Real: 6 Simple Tests

This article was co-authored by Edward Lewand and by wikiHow staff writer, Amber Crain. Edward Lewand is a Graduate Gemologist & Accredited Appraiser with over 36 years of experience in the jewelry industry. He completed his residency in graduate gemology at the G.I.A. in 1979, New York and now specializes in Fine, Antique and Estate Jewelry, consultations and expert witness work. He is a Certified Appraiser of the Appraiser Association of America (AAA) and an Accredited Senior Appraiser (ASA) of the American Society of Appraisers In Gems and Jewelry.

There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.

This article has been viewed 1,885,765 times.

If you need to test a piece of silver for authenticity, you've come to the right place! Silver has distinctive properties and there are a number of easy tests you can perform at home to confirm whether your piece is real or fake. We'll also explain how to know if your piece is pure silver or silver plated. For a simple walk-through of each silver test, scroll on down!