Abstract: Coating compositions of silver flake suspended in predominantly aqueous vehicle is disclosed for laying down a coating of electrically conductive metal on resistive or dielectric substrates useful in the electronics industry. The coating compositions provide an ideal combination of high silver loading and low viscosity for spray painting desired thickness coatings at high speed in a single pass. The novel compositions include the three basic components: silver flake, water soluble polymer binder, water. Up to about 10 wt % of a substantially completely water soluble, organic co-solvent can be an optional, additional ingredient. The coating compositions have good green strength after drying and may be used to apply an electrically conductive base to enable electroplating plastic or elastomer parts. Optional sintering adhesives can be added to allow high temperature, permanent bonding of the silver to a ceramic substrate. The compositions can include surfactants, defoamers and antisettling agents.