Differentiating pewter from silver primarily involves examining their physical properties, markings, and how they age. While both can exhibit a beautiful metallic luster, pewter is significantly softer and will show wear more easily than silver.
Key Differences Between Pewter and Silver
Here’s a quick overview of how to distinguish between these two metals:
| Feature | Pewter | Silver (Sterling Silver) |
|---|---|---|
| Composition | An alloy primarily of tin (90-97%), often with copper, antimony, bismuth, and sometimes even a small amount of silver. | A precious metal. Sterling silver is 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metals (typically copper) for added durability. Pure silver (fine silver) is 99.9% pure. |
| Hardness | Softer than silver, making it prone to bending or denting easily. | Harder and more resistant to bending and denting than pewter due to its alloy composition. |
| Luster/Shine | Can have a beautiful shine similar to sterling silver when new or polished, but it will start to naturally dull over time. | Maintains a bright, reflective luster. It will tarnish (oxidize and darken) over time, but this is different from dulling and can be polished away. |
| Weight | Tends to feel lighter than silver for an object of comparable size, though this can vary with specific alloys. | Generally feels denser and heavier than pewter for an object of the same dimensions. |
| Hallmarks | Often marked with "pewter," "tin," or a maker's mark. Less standardized than silver hallmarks. Older pieces might have touchmarks. | Legally required hallmarks for sterling silver typically include "925," "Sterling," or "Ster." Fine silver may be marked "999" or "Fine Silver." Learn more about silver hallmarks. |
| Sound | When gently tapped, it tends to produce a duller, softer thud. | When gently tapped, it often produces a clear, resonant "ping" sound. |
| Price | Generally less expensive due to its composition of common metals. | Significantly more valuable due to its status as a precious metal. |
Detailed Characteristics for Identification
1. Hardness and Durability
One of the most reliable indicators, as mentioned in the reference, is the metal's hardness. Pewter is softer than silver, so it will bend or dent easier. This means pewter items are more susceptible to damage from drops or pressure. If you can gently flex a thin edge or find small dents on a piece that wouldn't typically be subjected to heavy impact, it's likely pewter. Silver, especially sterling silver, is much more rigid.
2. Appearance and Patina
Both metals possess an attractive shine. The reference states that pewter "has that beautiful shine similar to sterling silver but it will start to naturally dull over time." This "dulling" on pewter is often a gradual loss of its initial brightness, leading to a muted, often grayish appearance. Silver, on the other hand, tarnishes by reacting with sulfur compounds in the air, creating a dark, often black, layer. This tarnish can usually be polished away to restore silver's original luster.
3. Composition
Understanding the elemental makeup helps distinguish them:
- Pewter: It is a mixture of different metals, including mostly tin (often 90-97%), a small amount of copper, and sometimes even has a bit of silver in it, along with other metals like antimony or bismuth. The presence of a small amount of silver in pewter does not make it a silver item.
- Silver: As a precious metal, silver is often used in its alloyed form, known as sterling silver, which is 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metals (typically copper) for durability. Fine silver is 99.9% pure.
4. Hallmarks and Markings
Checking for specific stamps or marks is crucial:
- Silver: Authentic silver items, especially sterling silver, are almost always stamped with hallmarks indicating their purity. Common marks include "925" (for 92.5% pure silver), "Sterling," "Ster," or the lion passant mark if it's British sterling. Fine silver (99.9% pure) might be marked "999" or "FS." These marks are usually small and found on inconspicuous parts of the item, like the back or base. You can find examples of common silver hallmarks by searching online.
- Pewter: Pewter items might have a manufacturer's mark, a country of origin, or sometimes the word "pewter" or "tin." They typically lack the standardized purity marks found on silver.
5. Weight and Density
Due to the higher density of silver compared to tin (pewter's primary component), a silver object will generally feel heavier than a pewter object of the same size and thickness. This difference can be subtle but noticeable if you handle many items of both types.
6. Magnetic Test
Neither pure silver nor pewter is magnetic. Therefore, a magnet test can help rule out items made from steel or iron, but it won't distinguish between silver and pewter.
By combining these observations, particularly focusing on the softness and dulling characteristics of pewter versus the hardness and specific hallmarks of silver, you can effectively tell the two apart.
