§ 296. — Standard of fineness of silver articles; deviation.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 15USC296]
TITLE 15--COMMERCE AND TRADE
CHAPTER 8--FALSELY STAMPED GOLD OR SILVER OR GOODS MANUFACTURED
THEREFROM
Sec. 296. Standard of fineness of silver articles; deviation
In the case of articles of merchandise made in whole or in part of
silver or any of its alloys so imported into or exported from the United
States, or so deposited in the United States mails for transmission, or
so delivered for transportation to any common carrier, or so transported
or caused to be transported as specified in section 294 of this title,
the actual fineness of the silver or alloy thereof of which such article
is wholly or partly composed shall not be less by more than four one-
thousandth parts than the actual fineness indicated by any mark (other
than the word ``sterling'' or the word ``coin'') stamped, branded,
engraved, or printed upon any part of such article, or upon any tag,
card, or label attached thereto, or upon any box, package, cover, or
wrapper in which such article is incased or inclosed; and that no such
article or tag, card, or label attached thereto, or box, package, cover,
or wrapper in which such article is incased or inclosed shall be marked,
stamped, branded, engraved, or printed with the word ``sterling'' or
``sterling silver'' or any colorable imitation thereof, unless such
article or parts thereof purporting to be silver contains nine hundred
and twenty-five one-thousandth parts pure silver; and that no such
article, tag, card, label, box, package, cover, or wrapper shall be
marked, stamped, branded, engraved, or printed with the words ``coin''
or ``coin silver'' or colorable imitation thereof unless such article or
parts thereof purporting to be silver contains nine hundred one-
thousandth parts pure silver: Provided, That in the case of all such
articles whose fineness is indicated by the word ``sterling'' or the
word ``coin'' there shall be allowed a divergence in the fineness of
four one-thousandth parts from the foregoing standards: Provided, That
in any test for the ascertainment of the fineness of any such article
mentioned in this section according to the foregoing standards the part
of the article taken for the test, analysis, or assay shall be such part
or portion as does not contain or have attached thereto any solder or
alloy of inferior fineness used for brazing or uniting the parts of such
article: Provided further, That in the case of any article mentioned in
this section, in addition to the foregoing tests and standards, the
actual fineness of the entire quantity of silver or of its alloys
contained in such article, including all solder and alloy of inferior
fineness used for brazing or uniting the parts of such article (all such
silver, alloys, and solder being assayed as one piece), shall not be
less by more than ten one-thousandth parts than the fineness indicated
by the mark stamped, branded, engraved, or imprinted upon such article,
or upon any tag, card, or label attached thereto, or upon any box,
package, cover, or wrapper in which such article is incased or inclosed,
it being intended that the standards of fineness and the tests or
methods for ascertaining the same provided in this section for articles
mentioned therein shall be concurrent and not alternative.
(June 13, 1906, ch. 3289, Sec. 3, 34 Stat. 261.)
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in sections 294, 298, 299, 300 of this
title.
