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MyPiece·Hallmarks·835
835
Reference·The stamp

835

835 silver · 83.5% pure

835 means 83.5% pure silver — a continental European standard, common on older German, Belgian and Indian pieces and struck simply as “835”. It sits just above 800 and below sterling: solid silver, a little harder and greyer than 925 thanks to its higher copper content.

Tool

Hallmark Translator

Translate a purity you know into how any country marks it — gold, silver, platinum, palladium — or compare two countries side by side.

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The reason

Why 83.5%?

835 was a widely used silver standard across mainland Europe through the 19th and 20th centuries — especially Germany and the Low Countries — before sterling and 800 became the common reference points.

It's still real, solid silver; the extra copper makes it hard-wearing but slightly more tarnish-prone than sterling.

Where it sits

And the standards around it

800Continental
80% — the classic European standard.
835835 silver
83.5% — a continental grade, often German or Belgian.
925Sterling
92.5% — the global silver standard.
999Fine silver
99.9% — nearly pure.
Around the world

How 4 countries strike 835

The number means the same metal everywhere — but every country marks it differently. Some strike a national emblem beside it; others, like the United States, mark it in type alone. Tap a country for its full system.

Independent assay

India

What to look for beside the 835.

Israel

What to look for beside the 835.

Mandatory maker's mark

Belgium

What to look for beside the 835.

Voluntary marking

Germany

What to look for beside the 835.

The catches

What people actually ask

Is 835 real silver?

Yes — 83.5% pure silver, the rest mostly copper. Solid silver, not plated.

Why does my silver say 835?

835 is a continental European standard, common on older German and Belgian pieces.

How is 835 different from 925?

835 is 83.5% pure; sterling (925) is 92.5% — purer and the global jewellery standard.

What is 835 silver worth?

83.5% of its weight is silver, tracking the silver price by weight.

A reference guide, not an authentication service. The same number can appear on different metals, and the mark beside it varies by country, date and maker — consult the relevant assay office or standards body for definitive identification.

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