What is Silver Decoplata? Why is it Called .720 Silver? And What’s the Value and Common Usage of This Silver Alloy?

Silver Decoplata, also known as 720 silver, is a silver alloy that contains 72% pure silver and 28% copper. Its name derives from Spanish “de plata” meaning “of silver.”

This alloy was primarily used for silver coinage in Mexico, Netherlands, and Egypt during the mid-20th century as a debasement measure to reduce silver content while maintaining coin size.

Silver Decoplata is diamagnetic (repels magnets) and moderately allergenic due to copper content.

The hallmark is typically “720” or “0.720.” Bullion isn’t made from this silver alloy, though some jewelry pieces use repurposed 720 silver coins.

Learn more below!

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What is Silver Decoplata (Definition and Meaning)? Why is it Called “Decoplata”?

Silver Decoplata (also known as 720 silver) is an alloy of 72% pure silver and 28% copper.

This alloy is primarily associated with coinage, particularly in Mexico and the Netherlands during the mid-20th century. There it was used as a debasement measure to reduce the silver content in coins while maintaining their size.

Silver Decoplata got its name from the Spanish word “de plata,” meaning “of silver,” combined with a sense of “deco-” suggesting a decorative or applied use, perhaps due to its historical use in coinage.

What is the Melt Value of Silver Decoplata? What is its Worth Per Gram?

The melt value of Silver Decoplata depends on the current silver market price which fluctuates from moment to moment based on the demand/supply interplay.

To determine the worth of your .720 silver item first you need to measure its weight,

Next, multiply the weight by the silver spot price and then by 0.72 (for 72% purity) to get the melt value.

For example, let’s say the current price of silver is $2.80 per gram. And your 720 silver object weighs 15 grams.

The exact worth of that 720 silver item would be $2.80 x 15 x 0.72=$108.

Is Silver Decoplata Magnetic or Not?

No, Silver Decoplata isn’t magnetic. it’s diamagnetic.

Silver Decoplata contains 72% pure silver and 28% copper. Pure silver is diamagnetic, copper’s the same making Silver Decoplata diamagnetic as well.

Is Silver Decoplata Hypoallergenic?

No, Silver Decoplata isn’t hypoallergenic. It’s allergenic.

Silver Decoplata is likely to cause skin allergies in sensitive individuals because it has relatively high pure silver content (silver is mostly hypoallergenic with some edge cases) and a substantial amount of copper, a common allergenic metal for a decent percentage of the world’s population.

Is There Bullion Made From Silver Decoplata (.720 Silver)?

No, there’s no bullion made from Silver Decoplata (.720 Silver).

In general, silver bullion for investment purposes is only made from Fine Silver (99.9% pure silver, 0.1% metal impurities).

Fine silver bullion is also called “IRA approved silver” and it’s the coins and bars of extreme purity you can have as part of your silver IRA account.

You can buy IRA-approved silver coins and bars at Augusta Precious Metals, the best gold and silver investment company in the United States.

Is There Jewelry Made From Silver Decoplata?

No, there’s no jewelry made from Silver Decoplata.

This silver standard was almost exclusively used to create silver coins for circulation.

People are getting creative though and I found an example on Etsy of someone offering a necklace made from .720 Silver Decoplata Mexican coins.

What is the Hallmark for Silver Decoplata?

The hallmark for Silver Decoplata is typically just “720” or “0.720”engraved on the 720 silver item.

See example below of this silver hallmark. I used a red arrow to show you the nearly invisible hallmark on this particular silver coin.

What’s the Difference Between 720 Silver and 500 Silver?

The primary difference between 720 silver and 500 silver is in their purity, which determines their value, hardness, and typical use cases.

720 Silver (Silver Decoplata) was often used in European or South American coinage. It’s durable enough for daily wear in jewelry (even though jewelry made of .720 silver is exceedingly rare) but has a noticeably lower silver content than standard jewelry items made of sterling silver (92.5% silver content).

500 Silver is a low-purity silver alloy. It is often referred to as “half-silver” and is very durable because it is 50% copper or other metals. It is frequently found in older, mass-produced cutlery or coins.

Comparison	Silver Decoplata	Silver 500
Composition	72% silver and 28% copper.	50% silver and 50% copper.
Value	Silver Decoplata is more valuable than Silver 500 because it contains more pure silver than it.	Silver 500 is less valuable than Silver Decoplata because it contains less pure silver and more copper.
Tarnishing properties	Silver Decoplata tarnishes slower than Silver 500 because it contains less copper than it.	Silver 500 tarnishes faster than Silver Decoplata because it contains too much copper compared to its silver content.
Durability	Silver Decoplata is less durable than Silver 500 because it contains less copper (copper is more durable than silver).	Silver 500 is more durable than Silver Decoplata because it contains more copper (copper is more durable than silver).
Allergenic properties	Silver Decoplata is less allergenic than 500 Silver because it contains less copper than it. And copper is considered more allergenic than silver.	Silver 500 is more allergenic than Silver Decoplata because it contains more copper than it.
Common applications	Used primarily for minting circulating coinage in various countries during the mid-20th century.	500 Silver was commonly used in British coins between 1920 and 1946. Occasionally, it is used in jewelry where cost is a significant concern.

What’s the Difference Between 720 Silver and Nickel Silver?

The fundamental difference between 720 silver and nickel silver is that 720 silver is a precious metal alloy containing a high percentage of actual silver. Nickel silver contains no silver at all and is a base metal alloy designed to look like silver.

Comparison	Silver Decoplata	Nickel Silver
Composition	72% silver and 28% copper.	60% copper, 20% nickel, and 20% zinc.
Value	Silver Decoplata is more valuable than Nickel Silver because it contains more pure silver than it.	Nickel Silver is less valuable than Silver Decoplata because it contains no pure silver content.
Tarnishing properties	Silver Decoplata tarnishes slower than Nickel Silver because it contains less copper than it.	Nickel Silver tarnishes faster than Silver Decoplata because it contains too much copper compared to it.
Durability	Silver Decoplata is less durable than Nickel Silver because it contains less copper (copper is more durable than silver).	Nickel Silver is more durable than Silver 720 (Decoplata) because it contains more copper (copper is more durable than silver).
Allergenic properties	Silver Decoplata is less allergenic than Nickel Silver because it contains less copper than it. And copper is considered more allergenic than silver.	Nickel Silver is more allergenic than Silver Decoplata because it contains more copper than it.
Common applications	Used primarily for minting circulating coinage in various countries during the mid-20th century.	Nickel Silver is used in decorative items (jewelry, flatware, architectural trim), musical instruments (flutes, saxophones), electronics (contacts, switches, connectors), and precision components (keys, watch parts, springs, ballpoint pen tips).

What is Silver Decoplata? Conclusion

Silver Decoplata, also known as 720 silver, is an alloy containing 72% pure silver and 28% copper. The name derives from Spanish “de plata” meaning “of silver.”

This alloy was primarily used for coinage in Mexico, Netherlands, and Egypt during the mid-20th century. It was used as a debasement measure to reduce silver content while maintaining coin size. It’s diamagnetic but allergenic due to copper content. The hallmark is typically “720” or “0.720.”

Bullion isn’t made from this silver alloy, though some jewelry pieces use repurposed 720 silver coins.

References:

• Decoplata: The History of .720 Silver in World Coinage- https://coinweek.com/decoplata-the-history-of-720-silver-in-world-coinage/
• My first “junk” silver! Saw this beautiful 25 Mexican pesos .720 coin in my LCS and bought it on a whim! Hope I didn’t overpaid..- https://www.reddit.com/r/Silverbugs/comments/143k0ev/my_first_junk_silver_saw_this_beautiful_25/
• Unique 7.5″in Vintage Mexico .720 Silver Coin Bracelet Peso 20 Centavos- https://www.ebay.com/itm/394074962530
• One guilder coin (Netherlands)- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_guilder_coin_(Netherlands)
• 1 Gulden – Wilhelmina- https://en.numista.com/6070
• 1 Peso- https://en.numista.com/11588
• SF Co (500) hallmark – 50% or plate?- https://www.reddit.com/r/Hallmarks/comments/1l5owa5/sf_co_500_hallmark_50_or_plate/
• Decoplata: The History of .720 Silver in World Coinage- https://coinweek.com/decoplata-the-history-of-720-silver-in-world-coinage/
• Nickel silver- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickel_silver