EPNS means Electro Plated Nickel Silver.
Hi, My name is XXXXX XXXXX it will be my pleasure to help you with this question. EPNS means electroplated nickel silver. A1 means superior quality. Your silver plated fish knife, if it is in excellent condition, has a current retail (replacement or insurance) value of approximately GBP 8.  EPNS A1 is the highest grade of silver plating that the manufacturer provides. EPNS = Electroplated Nickel Silver A1 = the thickness of the silver plating which is usually … 30 - 35 Microns. Highest Grade of Silver plating. The higher the grade, the longer the cutlery will last. When I received it it had EPNS stamped on the bottom. This I know stands for electro plated nickel silver and I know that it contains no silver whilst silver plated items are coated with a thin layer of actual silver. Depending on the thickness of this coating depends the quality or put another way the thicker the coating the better the quality. Old Sheffield Plate had the silver deposited on copper. EPNS, as the others have said, has the silver deposited on a layer of nickel. So to say that EPNS 'contains no silver' is not correct. Making the world better, one answer at a time. EPNS stands for Electro Plated Nickel Silver. Nickel Silver (sometimes stainless steel) is the base metal onto which silver is plated. Despite its name, nickel silver contains no silver at all, but is an alloy of nickel, zinc & copper. EPNS A1 is the highest grade of silver plating that the manufacturer provides. EPNS = Electroplated Nickel Silver A1 = the thickness of the silver plating which is usually … 30 - 35 Microns. Highest Grade of Silver plating. The higher the grade, the longer the cutlery will last. 35 Microns of EPNS will last approximately 40years, but this depends on usage, storage and care Hi, Bob. This article should answer your question: http://www.examiner.com/article/what-does-epns-mean-on-my-silver-pieces. It will link to other articles that might interest you. -- Code letters on silver plate pieces: http://www.examiner.com/sterling-silver-in-national/what-does-this-mean-on-my-fl. -- The Rogers silver companies: http://www.examiner.com/sterling-silver-in-national/rogers-the-silver-industry. VALUE OF STERLING AND SILVER PLATE PIECES. EPNS stands for Electro Plated Nickel Silver. Nickel Silver (sometimes stainless steel) is the base metal onto which silver is plated. Despite its name, nickel silver contains no silver at all, but is an alloy of nickel, zinc & copper. A layer of pure silver is deposited electrolytically on the base metal to give a silver finish. The most common is EPNS (Electro Plated Nickel Silver) but many other symbols are used: 1  EPBM (Electro Plated Britannia Metal). 2  EPCA (Electro Plated Copper Alloy). 3  ESM (Electro Plated Silver Mounts). Electroplated nickel silver, or EPNS, is an alloy of nickel, copper, and zinc that's covered with a layer of pure silver in an electrochemical process. Nickel's resemblance to silver helps disguise any worn spots in the plating. 
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what does EPNS mean