All that glitters is not gold, and not all that looks like silver is silver! This page contains Finnish nickel silver and new silver marks.

NOT SILVER, EVEN IF IT APPEARS SO!

Some objects may have been manufactured using silver, but also using less expensive metal alloys that look like silver. Such objects are usually distinguished by special marks. The most common silver-looking alloy is alpacca, whose trade name of 'new silver' is often a bit of a misnomer and has many names with variations of 'silver' (see below). The nickel in these alloys usually gives it its silver colour. Often alpacca objects have a silver-plated surface, but brass alloys can also be plated with silver.

Nickel silver is also known widely by many other names: German silver, Argentann, new silver, nickel brass, albata, alpacca and, more historically, Chinese paktong (or bai-tong).

Silver-looking objects may be marked as:

ALP

X ALP X

ALPAKKA

UH

UUSI HOPEA

PRIMA-UH

MS

MH

90
The number 90 means that the surface of the object is silver-plated. The number indicates the total weight in grams (= 90) of fine silver that has been used to plate a dozen tablespoons and a dozen forks. The picture shows a small spoon with silver-plating amounting to about 1.5 grams.