EUROPEAN COUNTRIES SILVER AND GOLD HALLMARKS
AUSTRIA
A silver or gold object that is to be sold commercially is, in most countries, stamped with one or more hallmarks indicating the purity of the metal and the mark of the manufacturer or silversmith
The word "HALLMARK" derives from the fact that, since the 16th century, precious metals were sent to the London Goldsmiths' Hall for testing to ensure that the correct standard of silver had been used. The Goldsmiths' Hall was the headquarters of the Goldsmiths' Company and the home of the Assay Office.
In some countries, the testing of precious metal objects and marking of purity is controlled by a national assay office.
Depending on the national legislation the use of hallmarks may be compulsory, voluntary or provided by a manufacturer's declaration.
The present Austrian hallmarking system is organized under the manufacturer's responsibility for marking the purity of silver.
Independent Republic of Austria was established after WWI and collapse of Austro-Hungarian Empire.
A compulsory system of hallmarking for precious metal made in Austria was approved in 1921. In 1922 a corresponding system (modified in 1925) was activated for imported metals.
The compulsory hallmarking system was abolished in 2001.
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AUSTRIAN SILVER HALLMARKS 1922-2001
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Regional Assay Offices codes: W Vienna (1938-2001) -  Vienna (1922-1943) -  Vienna (1922-2001) - B Wolfort (1963-2001) - D Dorbin ( (1969-1983) - F Feldkirch (1965-1969) - G Graz (1922-2001) - J Innsbruck (1922-2001) - K Klagenfurt (1922-1987) - L Linz (1922-2001) - N Wiener-Neustadt (1922-1935) - S Salzburg (1922-2001)
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Slightly different marks were used in the period 15.8.1939 - 9.1944 during the German Annexation of Austria (Anschluss)
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IMPORT SILVER HALLMARKS 1922-1925
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IMPORT SILVER HALLMARKS 1925-2001
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EXPORT SILVER HALLMARKS 1925-2001
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PRECIOUS METALS MARKS AFTER 2001
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After 2001 manufacturers were given the responsibility for precious metals marking. Items were required to be marked with admitted fineness in thousands and two letters identifying the metal:
SILVER: 925 Ag - 900 Ag - 835 Ag - 800 Ag
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GOLD: 986 Au - 900 Au - 750 Au - 585 Au
PLATINUM: 950 Pt
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HALLMARKING CONVENTION
Austria is since 1975 a country member of the Convention on the Control and Marking of Articles of Precious Metals, an international treaty between States on the cross border trade in precious metal articles. It was signed in Vienna in November 1972 and entered into force in 1975.
The Convention's Common Control Mark (CCM) has the same legal status as a national Assay Office mark. The CCM is applied by national Assay Offices to articles of platinum, gold, palladium and silver after the fineness of the alloy has been checked in accordance with agreed testing methods.
Articles bearing the CCM - together with the national Assay Office Mark, the responsibility mark (manufacturer or sponsor) and the fineness mark indicating its purity - do not have to be re-controlled or re-marked in the states members of the Convention.
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AUSTRIA AND AUSTRIA-HUNGARY SILVER HALLMARKS
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