A SMALL COLLECTION OF ANTIQUE SILVER
AND OBJECTS OF VERTU
THE WHAT IS? SILVER DICTIONARY

UK CONTEMPORARY SILVER AND GOLD HALLMARKING:
HALLMARKS OF BRITISH SILVER AND GOLD

The British hallmarking system was widely modified in 1999 and some of the traditional marks became optional symbols applied only on request alongside the compulsory hallmarks.
Henceforth, future generation of collectors will fewer and fewer find the full set of hallmarks that for hundreds of years has characterized the British silver.

A Hallmark is now made up of three compulsory symbols with the addition of some voluntary marks.

COMPULSORY MARKS

The Sponsor's or Maker's Mark (Compulsory mark)

Indicates the maker or sponsor of the article. This mark consists of at least two letters within a shield (of various shape), and no two marks are the same.

Sponsor's or Maker's Mark RHF Sponsor's or Maker's Mark HBH

Metal and fineness (purity) mark (Compulsory marks)

Indicates the precious metal content of the object, and that it is not less than the fineness indicated. The fineness is indicated by a millesimal number (e.g. 925 is sterling). This number is contained in a shield of oval shape for silver and of octagonal shape for gold.

SILVER

silver fineness 800/1000 silver fineness 925/1000 silver fineness 958/1000 silver fineness 999/1000
Sterling
Britannia

GOLD

gold fineness 375/1000 gold fineness 585/1000 gold fineness 750/1000 gold fineness 916/1000 gold fineness 990/1000 gold fineness 999/1000
9 carat
14 carat
18 carat
22 carat

Assay Office Mark (Compulsory marks)

Indicates the particular Assay Office at which the article was tested and marked. There are now four British Assay Offices: Birmingham, Edinburgh, London and Sheffield

Birmingham Assay Office mark Edinburgh Assay Office mark London Assay Office mark Sheffield Assay Office mark
 Birmingham
  Edinburgh
    London
   Sheffield

VOLUNTARY MARKS

Traditional fineness (purity) mark (Voluntary marks)
Traditional fineness (purity) mark: sterling silver Traditional fineness (purity) mark: sterling silver Scotland Traditional fineness (purity) mark: Britannia silver Traditional fineness (purity) mark: gold
   Sterling
     silver
Sterling silver
   Scotland
  Britannia
    silver
     Gold

Date Mark (Voluntary mark)

After 1999 a date letter indicating the year of hallmarking can be applied voluntarily in addition to the compulsory marks. The date letters are the same on the four Assay Offices.

date letter 1999 date letter 2000 date letter 2001 date letter 2002 date letter 2003 date letter 2004
date letter 2005 date letter 2006 date letter 2007 date letter 2008 date letter 2009 date letter 2010

Commemorative marks (Voluntary marks)

Examples of commemorative marks applied to precious metals by the four UK Assay Offices are the "Millennium Mark" (used during 1999 and 2000), the "Golden Jubilee Hallmark", commemorating Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee (applied during 2002), the Diamond Jubilee Hallmarks commemorating Queen's Diamond Jubilee (applied from 1 July 2011 until 1 October 2012) and the Platinum Jubilee (from 1 Novembre 2021 until 31 December 2022)

Commemorative mark: Millennium mark Commemorative mark: Golden Jubilee Hallmark Commemorative mark: Diamond Jubilee Hallmark Commemorative mark: Platinum Jubilee Hallmark
Millennium mark
Golden Jubilee Hallmark
Diamond Jubilee Hallmark
Platinum Jubilee mark
Commemorative mark: Platinum Jubilee Hallmark

In 2023 a new commemorative mark has been designed to celebrate the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III. The King's Coronation Mark can be requested as a voluntary commemorative mark from 1 March 2023 and will be available until 31 December 2024. The mark depicts the King's head against an oval background.

Charles III, King's Coronation Mark Charles III, King's Coronation Mark, London Assay Office Charles III, King's Coronation Mark, Sheffield Assay Office

British hallmarks stamped overseas

The practice of overseas hallmarking was established the UK in 2014 with UK assay offices setting up sub-offices offshore. For example the Birmingham Assay Office began stamping jewellery in India in 2016.
However, in 2018, the British Hallmarking Council decided that hallmarks struck offshore by UK assay offices should be different to those applied in the UK. Following this move discussions took place over what form the offshore mark should take. A differentiated hallmark for articles hallmarked outside the UK by Birmingham Assay Office was officially launched in April 2019.

Birmingham Assay Office overseas hallmark
Birmingham Assay Office overseas hallmark

THE COMMON CONTROL MARK AND CONVENTION MARKS (Alternatively to previous marks)

After the sign of the International Convention on Hallmarks (1972) the UK Assay Offices can strike the Convention Hallmark which will then be recognised by all member countries in the International Convention. Conversely, Convention Hallmarks from other member countries are legally recognised in the UK and do not have to be re-hallmarked in the UK.

Convention Hallmark: silver Convention Hallmark: gold
          Silver
           Gold


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