Sterling Silver

Alloys · Uncommon · Medieval

Silver on its own is too soft to survive a dinner table, so it is alloyed with 7.5% copper. The proportion has been fixed by law in England since 1300 and stamped on the piece ever since; that is all a hallmark is. The copper is also why sterling tarnishes faster than pure silver.

Identity

Source
Historical alloy: silver and copper
Composition
Silver 92.5%, Copper 7.5%
Also known as
925 silver, Standard silver
Ores, before industry and since
Acanthite (Silver), Chlorargyrite (Silver), Freibergite (Silver), Galena (Silver), Proustite (Silver), Pyrargyrite (Silver), Silver (Silver), Tetrahedrite (Silver), Azurite (Copper), Chalcocite (Copper), Chalcopyrite (Copper), Copper (Copper), Malachite (Copper), Tetrahedrite (Copper)
Ores of the industrial age
Bornite (Copper), Chrysocolla (Copper), Covellite (Copper), Cuprite (Copper), Enargite (Copper)

Physical Properties

Appearance
Bright white-silver, slightly warmer tone than pure silver, tarnishes to a dark grey-black patina
Luster
Metallic
Density
10.4 g/cm³
Melting point
893 °C
Boiling point
1900 °C
Lighter
Molybdenum
Denser
Silver
Magnetism
Non-magnetic
Electrical conductivity
Very High

Mechanical Properties

Mohs hardness
2.5
Tensile strength
290 MPa
Softer
Tin
Harder
Brass
Workability
Easy
Brittleness
Tough
Malleability
High
Ductility
High

Chemical Properties

Corrosion resistance
Moderate
Reactivity
Low

Lore & Narrative

The term 'sterling' may derive from the Old Norman French word esterlin, meaning 'little star', a reference to small stars stamped on Norman coins. English sterling silver coins became such a reliable standard that 'sterling' came to mean reliable quality in any context.

Notable uses
Jewelry, cutlery, tableware, musical instruments, photography
Forge uses
Jewelry, Cutlery, Tableware, Musical instruments
Worldbuilding traits
Refined, Standard, Antimicrobial, Tarnishing

Sources

Browse the Metal Encyclopedia — MGS Toolbox