Names
Nickel silver goes by several names, including new silver. It is also called German silver (GS), alpaca and paktong. If the nickel silver has been silver plated, it is sometimes called EPNS, or electroplated nickel silver.
Composition
Nickel silver is usually 60 percent copper, 20 percent nickel and 20 percent zinc. However, these percentages can vary and other metals such as lead or tin may be included in small amounts. One advantage of nickel silver is that it does not tarnish and is much stronger than silver.
History
Nickel silver has been around for more than 2,000 years, but gained popularity in the 1800s when electroplating with silver became possible. This provided an affordable alternative to solid sterling silver jewelry and cutlery.