Sterling silver contains 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metals, usually copper. Fine silver which is 99.9% pure, is far too soft for use in household items including jewellery, therefore it is alloyed with copper which strengthens it whilst not detracting from its value or beauty. Other metals can be used instead of copper, usually with the intent of improving something in the quality, most commonly resistance to tarnish or firescale. These replacement metals are numerous and include a variety of other additives. A number of new alloys have appeared in recent years in sterling silver which are specifically formulated to lessen firescale or to inhibit tarnish and have sparked strong competition among manufacturers, however no one alloy has yet emerged to replace copper as the industry standard.
The origins of the word "sterling" is controversial but the most plausible explanation is from the late old English "steorling [coin] with a star", as some early Norman pennies were imprinted with a small star. There is general agreement that the sterling alloy originated in continental Europe and was being used for commerce as early as the 12th century in an area that is now northern Germany.
Most countries have developed their own systems of hallmarking silver, the purpose of which is to indicate its purity, to identify the silversmith or company that made it, or to note the date and/or location of the manufacture. The most widely recognized international hallmark for sterling silver is 925. This confirms the fineness of the alloy as being 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% copper or other metals which is the minimum industry standard.
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