how much silver is in a nickel silver spoon

[MiaMarie]

Despite its name, nickel silver contains no elemental silver. The name is derived from its silvery appearance, not its composition.

Nickel silver is a copper alloy, typically composed of 60% copper, 20% nickel, and 20% zinc. It is a base metal valued for its strength, corrosion resistance, and silver-like luster. This alloy is also known by various other names, including German silver, new silver, and alpacca.

It is possible for an item made of nickel silver, such as a spoon, to be silver-plated. In that case, a very thin layer of pure silver would be electroplated onto the nickel silver base. However, the core material itself is entirely free of silver. Unless the spoon is specifically marked as "silver-plated" or "sterling," an item identified as nickel silver should be understood as having no silver content.