PURPOSE: To produce an Fe- or Co-containing Ag-base alloy powder capable of providing a high hardness wire having high electric conductivity.

CONSTITUTION: This powder is an Ag-base alloy powder, in which grains of 0.01-1.0μm grain size, consisting of Fe and/or Fe oxide or Co and/or Co oxide, are dispersed in an Ag matrix and oxygen content is regulated to ≥0.03wt.% and also the content of the above grains of 0.01-1.0μm grain size is regulated to 0.5-5.0wt.% expressed in terms of the amount of Fe or Co element. This Ag-base alloy powder can be produced by subjecting a molten mixture of Ag and Fe or a molten mixture of Ag and Co to rapid solidification by water atomization. Further, the alloy powder is heat-treated in an oxidizing atmosphere to undergo internal oxidation.