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Hallmarking History Hallmarking was originally introduced in 1300 by a Statute of Edward I and is probably the earliest form of consumer protection. Hallmarking is necessary because when jewellery is manufactured, precious metals are not used in their pure form, as they are unworkable. Gold, Silver, and Platinum are always alloyed with copper or other metals to create an alloy that is more suitable to the requirements of the jeweller. Such an alloy needs to be strong, workable and attractive. Due to the high value of gold, platinum and silver, there are significant profits to be gained by reducing the precious metal content of an alloy at the manufacturing stage. Even an expert cannot determine the quality or standard of precious metal items by eye or touch alone. Base metal articles plated with a thin coat of gold or silver are indistinguishable from the same articles made wholly of precious metal until subjected to expert testing. With volume manufacturing, enormous profits can be made from undercarating. Without compulsory independent testing there is huge potential for deception and fraud. The UK Hallmarking system has offered valuable protection for over 700 years. Compulsory Hallmarking protects all parties; the public who receive a guarantee of quality, the manufacturer who is given quality control and protection from dishonest competitors at a very low cost and the retailer who avoids the near impossible task of checking standards on all his goods. Brief History of UK Hallmarks
 A typical set of antique British
silver hallmarks showing (left to right) ; Standard Mark, City
Mark, Date Letter, Duty Mark and Maker's Mark Here is a comparison of British Silverplate Marks to British Sterling Hallmarks:
The Standard mark indicates the
purity of the silver. There are other marks to commemorate special events, the Silver Jubilee of King George V and Queen Mary in 1935, the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 and her Silver Jubilee in 1977
Back to Menu The United Kingdom has been a signatory to the International Convention on Hallmarks since 1972. This means that 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. Articles bearing the Convention Hallmark do not have to be re-hallmarked in the UK.
800 925 999
CITY MARKS (and the most common standard marks found with them) LONDON, England (1300 - Present) London Assay Office
BIRMINGHAM, England (1773 - Present) Birmingham Assay Office Assay marking began in Birmingham in 1773. The date letter, which followed a 25 year cycle, was changed in July until 1975 when it (along with all other British date letter sequences) changed in January. The Britannia figure was used in silver of 95.84% purity. Birmingham gained the right to assay gold and silver articles
with the establishment of the Birmingham Assay Office in 1773.
The Assay Office was established largely due to the efforts of
Matthew Boulton.
CHESTER, England (1701 - 1961) Chester (closed 1961) Plate was assayed at Chester from the
early 15th century. Marks were regulated from about the end
of the 17th century. The Chester office was re-established
in 1701 and closed in 1961. Prior to the establishment of
the Birmingham Assay Office in 1773, most of the plate produced
in the Midlands and the north west of England was "touched" at
Chester. The date letter which followed a 25 year cycle was
changed in July 1686 - 1701 Three wheatsheaves ("garbs") with sword.
DUBLIN, Ireland (1636
- Present)
EXETER, England (1701 - 1883) Exeter (closed 1883)
EDINBURUGH, Scotland (1681 - 1974) Edinburgh Assay Office The Incorporation of Goldsmiths of the City of Edinburgh was established at an unknown date in the mid-fifteenth century and is today the oldest consumer protection group in Scotland. It is believed to be the oldest continuously existing business of any kind in the country. Its origins may be traced back to shortly after 1424 when an Act of Parliament encouraged the different trades in the royal burghs of the kingdom each to have a Deacon to oversee their activities. The Incorporation's function was to look after the interests of the craft of goldsmith, silversmith and jeweller in the city and to regulate the workmanship of its members. In 1457 The Deacon of the Incorporation became responsible for assaying and marking the goldsmiths' work and for administering the business of the craft in general. In 1681 the first Assay Master was appointed. The earliest surviving records date only from 1525 and include the valuable first volume of the Minutes of the Incorporation's Meetings. From this source it is possible to construct a history of the Incorporation, not only in its broad outlines but often with particular details about most of the Freemen (Members). The prayer at the front of the volume is still in use and is said by the Deacon before all the general meetings. The Minutes from 1525 to 1700 have been transcribed and are presently being edited for publication so as to make that part of the Incorporation's history better known and understood. On the 10 November 1687 King James VII granted the Incorporation its Royal Charter which confirmed all the previous privileges and duties granted to the Goldsmiths as an Incorporated Society and extended their powers even further. In 1784 the Incorporation became responsible for assaying and marking all the gold and silver wrought not only in Edinburgh but in the whole of Scotland; between 1819 and 1964 this responsibility was shared with another assay office established in Glasgow. After the flourishing days of the 18th and early 19th centuries,
the number of Freemen gradually declined. The remaining members
petitioned Parliament for a new constitution, which they received
in 1975, allowing them to broaden the scope of their activities
SHEFFIELD, England (1773 - Present) Sheffield Assay Office Telephone: +44 (0) 114 275 5111
GLASGOW, Scotland (1681 - 1964) Glasgow (closed 1964) Until 1819 only city
mark, date letter and maker's mark.
NEWCASTLE, England (1702 - 1884) Newcastle (closed 1884)
YORK, England (1560 - 1857) York (closed 1857)
MISCELLANEOUS DATE LETTERS DUTY MARKS 1. 1785 (began 12/1/1784) The first two marks are not duty marks but were used prior to them and dropped when the duty mark came into existence. The crowned leopard (a) was used with Sterling, the lion in profile (b) was used with Britannia. Back to Menu The British Hallmarking Council
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