Britannia Silver 958
Mat Grades internal verification confirms source-backed fidelity and data integrity. It does not constitute external certification or guaranteed lot conformity. Read engineering disclaimer →
Key Engineering Properties
Representative source rows, qualified by their reported conditions. Inspect the tables below for all values, limits, and source notes.
Engineering Summary
Britannia Silver 958 is a standardized silver-copper alloy comprising at least 95.84% pure silver (hallmarked as 958 parts per thousand), with the remainder typically copper. Introduced into English law by the Hallmarking Act of 1697 to prevent the melting of coinage, Britannia silver delivers greater ductility and malleability than sterling silver, making it well-suited to complex cold spinning, repoussé, and high-conductivity contact rivets.
Britannia Silver 958 Documented Applications
- ›Cold-spun metal vessels and complex holloware
- ›High-purity electrical contact rivets and instrument terminals
- ›Vitreous enamelling substrate components requiring elevated malleability
- ›Historical commemorative presentation items and coinage
Recognized Aliases
Source-backed commercial trade name and short designations cataloged in canonical data.
Britannia Silver 958 Specifications & Designations
Standard Designations & Applicable Specifications — Semantically classified designations distinguishing primary standard identifiers, commercial trade names, and applicable specification references.
| System | Identifier | Standard System Name | Classification Notes & Provenance |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK-HALLMARKPRIMARY | 958 | UK Hallmarking Act Fineness Mark | —Ref: Standard Specifications for Silver & Silver Alloys (ASTM B742, ASTM B413, ISO 9202, DIN 17510) |
| ISO | Ag958 | International Organization for Standardization | —Ref: Standard Specifications for Silver & Silver Alloys (ASTM B742, ASTM B413, ISO 9202, DIN 17510) |
| DIN | Ag958 | Deutsches Institut für Normung | —Ref: Standard Specifications for Silver & Silver Alloys (ASTM B742, ASTM B413, ISO 9202, DIN 17510) |
| EN | AgCu4.2 | European Norm | —Ref: Standard Specifications for Silver & Silver Alloys (ASTM B742, ASTM B413, ISO 9202, DIN 17510) |
| Recognized Name / Alias | Classification | Technical Usage & Context |
|---|---|---|
| Britannia Silver | Commercial Alias | Colloquial or commercial industry synonym |
| 958 Silver | Colloquial Alias | Colloquial or commercial industry synonym |
| Ag958 | Commercial Alias | Colloquial or commercial industry synonym |
| Standards Body | Specification Code | Specification Title / Scope | Relationship Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK-STATUTE | British Hallmarking Act 1973 | Hallmarking Act 1973 (Schedule 2 Standards of Fineness - Britannia Silver) | Specification Reference |
| ISO | ISO 9202 | Jewellery and precious metals — Fineness of precious metal alloys | Specification Reference |
| DIN | DIN 17510 | Feinsilber und Silberlegierungen (Fine silver and silver alloys) | Specification Reference |
| British | British Hallmarking Act 1973 Schedule 2 Standards of Fineness | Applicable specification reference. | Specification Reference |
Britannia Silver 958 Chemical Composition
Chemical Composition (Weight %) — Elemental limits and values from the cited source. Preserves exact semantic limits (minimums, maximums, and ranges).
| Element | Symbol | Atomic No. | Semantic Basis | Specified Value | Unit | Metallurgical Notes & Qualification | Data Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silver | Ag | 47 | MINIMUM | ≥ 95.84 | wt% | Ref: ASTM International & ISO / DIN Standards Technical Committees | VERIFIED |
| Copper | Cu | 29 | RANGE | 4.00 – 4.16 | wt% | Ref: ASTM International & ISO / DIN Standards Technical Committees | VERIFIED |
Britannia Silver 958 Physical Properties
Source-specific physical properties. Test temperatures are shown only where reported.
| Property Parameter | Canonical SI Value | Semantic Basis | Test Temperature / Context Range | Source Raw Reference | Source Reference | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Density | 10.4 g/cm³ | TYPICAL | Test Temp: 20 °C | 10.40 g/cm³ | ASTM International & Standards Technical Committees | VERIFIED |
Britannia Silver 958 Thermal & Thermodynamic Properties
Phase change temperatures, thermal conductivity, specific heat, mean coefficients of thermal expansion across standardized temperature ranges, and recommended thermal processing windows.
| Property Parameter | Canonical SI Value | Semantic Basis | Test Temperature / Context Range | Source Raw Reference | Source Reference | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thermal Conductivity | 420 W/(m·K) | TYPICAL | Test Temp: 20 °C | 420 W/(m·K) | ASTM International & Standards Technical Committees | VERIFIED |
| Melting Range (Solidus-Liquidus) | 870 – 940 °C | RANGE | Solidus 870°C, Liquidus 940°C | 870 – 940 °C | ASTM International & Standards Technical Committees | VERIFIED |
Britannia Silver 958 Electrical Properties
Electrical conductivity and resistivity in their reported units and conditions.
| Property Parameter | Canonical SI Value | Semantic Basis | Test Temperature / Context Range | Source Raw Reference | Source Reference | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical Conductivity | 92 % IACS | TYPICAL | Test Temp: 20 °C | 92 % IACS | ASTM International & Standards Technical Committees | VERIFIED |
Britannia Silver 958 Mechanical Properties
Contextual Mechanical Properties & Tempers: Engineering strength, ductility, and hardness values grouped by product form, temper, and section thickness. Mechanical properties are contextual and not isotropic averages.
| Product Form | Temper / Condition | Section Size | Tensile (UTS) | Yield Strength | Elongation | Shear Strength | Fatigue Strength | Hardness (Scales Preserved) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strip, Sheet, Wire | Annealed (Soft)Source values and qualifiersYield Strength (0.2% Offset): ≥ 80 MPa (TYPICAL)ASTM International & ISO / DIN Standards Technical Committees — ASTM B742, ASTM B413, ISO 9202, DIN 17510 Ultimate Tensile Strength: ≥ 185 MPa (TYPICAL)ASTM International & ISO / DIN Standards Technical Committees — ASTM B742, ASTM B413, ISO 9202, DIN 17510 Elongation at Break: ≥ 35 % (TYPICAL)ASTM International & ISO / DIN Standards Technical Committees — ASTM B742, ASTM B413, ISO 9202, DIN 17510 | — | ≥ 185 MPa | ≥ 80 MPa | ≥ 35 % | — | — | — | VERIFIED |
| Strip & Wire | Hard Drawn (50% reduction)Source values and qualifiersYield Strength (0.2% Offset): ≥ 300 MPa (TYPICAL)ASTM International & ISO / DIN Standards Technical Committees — ASTM B742, ASTM B413, ISO 9202, DIN 17510 Ultimate Tensile Strength: ≥ 350 MPa (TYPICAL)ASTM International & ISO / DIN Standards Technical Committees — ASTM B742, ASTM B413, ISO 9202, DIN 17510 Elongation at Break: ≥ 4 % (TYPICAL)ASTM International & ISO / DIN Standards Technical Committees — ASTM B742, ASTM B413, ISO 9202, DIN 17510 | — | ≥ 350 MPa | ≥ 300 MPa | ≥ 4 % | — | — | — | VERIFIED |
| Standard Product Form | Annealed (Soft)Source values and qualifiersHV Hardness: 48–62 HV (TYPICAL)ASTM International & ISO / DIN Standards Technical Committees — ASTM B742, ASTM B413, ISO 9202, DIN 17510 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 48–62 HV | VERIFIED |
| Standard Product Form | Hard Drawn (50% reduction)Source values and qualifiersHV Hardness: 105–125 HV (TYPICAL)ASTM International & ISO / DIN Standards Technical Committees — ASTM B742, ASTM B413, ISO 9202, DIN 17510 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 105–125 HV | VERIFIED |
Britannia Silver 958 Processing & Fabrication
Machining, joining, forming, and thermal processing ratings cataloged from the cited authoritative technical reference.
Machinability
Rated at approximately 35% relative to C36000. Softer and more ductile than sterling silver; tends to form continuous chips requiring chip-breaker tool geometries.
Weldability & Joining
Readily brazed using silver-bearing filler metals. Less prone to deep firescale oxidation than sterling silver due to lower copper fraction.
Heat Treatment & Working Ranges
Annealed at 450°C to 550°C for 20 minutes, followed by water quench. Demonstrates minor precipitation hardening capability due to copper supersaturation.
Forming & Cold Working
Superb spinning and deep drawing performance; requires fewer intermediate annealing steps than 925 sterling.
Britannia Silver 958 Equivalent & Comparable Grades
Comparable Grades & Cross-References: Carefully classified cross-reference relationships for Britannia Silver 958. Comparable does not mean equivalent.
| Related Material | Family | Relationship Classification | Metallurgical Notes & Differences | Status | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling Silver 925 | Silver & Silver Alloys | Commonly Compared | Britannia 958 is softer and more ductile in the annealed condition (55 HV vs 70 HV, elongation 38% vs 32%), facilitating deep spinning with fewer intermediate anneals than sterling.Materials serve different design priorities (e.g. higher strength vs superior corrosion resistance or cost). | VERIFIED | Side-by-Side Compare → |
| Fine Silver 999 | Silver & Silver Alloys | Commonly Compared | Britannia 958 offers 63% higher yield strength (90 MPa vs 55 MPa) while retaining 92% IACS conductivity.Materials serve different design priorities (e.g. higher strength vs superior corrosion resistance or cost). | VERIFIED | Side-by-Side Compare → |
Sources
Sources & Provenance Trail: Authoritative reference publications, standards specifications, and data registers cited across this material record.
Authoritative data harmonized across ASTM B742, ASTM B413, ISO 9202, DIN 17510, British Hallmarking Act 1973, and ASM International monographs.