While 100% pure silver is theoretically impossible to produce in reality, the highest purity available, and commonly accepted as fine or pure silver, is called "three nines fine" or .999 silver.
Understanding Silver Purity
Achieving absolute 100% purity in silver (or any metal) is extremely difficult due to the presence of trace elements and impurities that are virtually impossible to completely eliminate during the refining process. Therefore, a standard has been established to define what is commercially considered "pure" silver.
Three Nines Fine (.999 Silver)
- Definition: .999 silver signifies that the silver is 99.9% pure, with only 0.1% consisting of other elements.
- Common Name: It's also known as "three nines fine" because of the three nines after the decimal point (0.999).
- Investment Bullion: .999 silver is the most common type of silver found in investment bullion (bars, coins, rounds).
| Purity Level | Description | Common Use Cases |
|---|---|---|
| .999 | Commonly referred to as "fine silver" or "pure silver" | Investment bullion (bars, coins, rounds), jewelry |
| .925 | Sterling silver (92.5% silver, 7.5% other metals) | Jewelry, silverware, decorative items |
Practical Implications
Because .999 silver is very soft, it's often alloyed with other metals (typically copper) to increase its durability for use in jewelry, silverware, and other applications. Sterling silver (.925) is a common example of this. However, when investing in silver as a commodity, .999 fine silver is the standard.
