These are very nice and by comparison to what is otherwise being offered there really is no comparison. "1/20 Silver Filled" means that the outer five percent of the metal is sterling silver, it is much superior to those which are only plated. And you can be sure that anything which doesn't specifically say anything else will be plated. These are new as supplied by N.S. Meyer, leading distributor of military insignia and they look to me to be of sixties vintage. Retailers today offer the less quality plated insignia for about the same price as you can get these for.