A composition comprising a plurality of coated metal particles with a metal core surrounded by nested shells formed by an electrically conductive layer and by a barrier layer, at least one of the shells being formed by electroless plating. The invention also comprises a method of producing such compositions as well as the use of the composition in, for example, crystalline- silicon solar cell devices having contact structures formed on one or more surfaces of a solar cell device, such as those used in back contact solar cell devices or emitter wrap through (EWT) solar cell devices.