back

Hallmarking

 

Where an item is not exempted from compulsory hallmarking (in the case of silver a weight above 7.78 grams) each of my pieces is presented to the London Assay Office for testing and hallmarking.

 

These pieces will bear the three compulsory symbols.  1)  my personal maker’s or sponsor’s mark, 2) the millesimal number of fineness of the metal eg 925 for sterling silver and 3) the  mark of the assay office where the piece was tested, in my case the leopard’s head for London.

 

In addition to these three marks there are two voluntary marks, the fineness symbol  (for silver the lion passant) which precedes the millesimal number and the date letter at the end of the linear marks indicating the year in which the piece was assayed.

 

Recent changes in the law now allow for items of mixed metal to be hallmarked.  For detailed information on all issues regarding the assay of precious metal please follow the link below.

 

 

UK Assay Office