Silver< /span>

has been used by humans since about the 5th millennium BC. Made into silver jewelry by the Assyrians, the Goths, the Greeks, the Romans, the Egyptians and the Germans.  At that time it was considered more valuable than gold. The silver mostly came from the mines in Lavrion, which were about 50 kilometers south of Athens. 
In the Middle Ages, silver ore deposits were discovered in the Harz Mountains, Saxony, Bohemia and Slovakia. Later, the Spaniards brought large amounts of silver from America to Europe. This reduced the value of the silver.

The silver alloys most commonly used today have a fineness of 800, 835 and 925 parts of silver. To increase its strength, silver is alloyed with another metal, usually copper. Silver usually turns dark. Brownish, bluish to bluish-black spots appear or it turns completely into the colors mentioned. This is then called "starting up". The reason for this is the particular sensitivity of the silver surface to sulphurous gases that occur in the environment (e.g. in the air). A reaction takes place even at room temperature. A special anti-tarnish protection layer is applied to prevent tarnishing.