Guide · 10-minute read
Reading UK hallmarks on gold, silver, platinum and palladium
The short answer
A UK hallmark has three compulsory parts: the sponsor's mark of whoever sent the item for testing, a fineness mark such as 375, 925 or 950 showing how pure the metal is, and the mark of the assay office that tested it, such as the leopard's head of London or the anchor of Birmingham. A date letter and the traditional symbols have been optional since 1999. Items lighter than 1 g of gold, 7.78 g of silver, 0.5 g of platinum or 1 g of palladium need no hallmark, and an unmarked or foreign-marked item is identified by testing.
The three compulsory marks and what each one tells you
A hallmark is put on by an assay office with no interest in the sale. The office tests the metal first, and the mark guarantees that the article meets the fineness stated. A maker's own stamp carries no such guarantee.
Under the Hallmarking Act 1973, an article above the exemption weight cannot be described as gold, silver, platinum or palladium in the course of trade in the UK unless it carries a UK hallmark or an equivalent recognised mark. GOV.UK sets out how businesses must comply, and a dealer in precious-metal articles has to display the approved hallmarks notice showing what the marks look like.
- Sponsor's mark
- The registered mark of the person or company who submitted the article for hallmarking, usually initials in a shaped shield. It says who is responsible for the article, which is not always who made it.
- Millesimal fineness mark
- A number in parts per thousand inside a shaped surround. Gold sits in an oblong with cut corners, silver in an oval, platinum in a house shape and palladium in three connected ovals. 750 means at least 750 parts gold in 1,000.
- Assay office mark
- The symbol of the office that tested and marked the article. There are four in the UK, at London, Birmingham, Sheffield and Edinburgh.
Not all marks are equally reliable. A UK hallmark has been tested by an assay office. A number stamped on its own is the maker's claim and has not been independently tested. An absence of any mark tells you nothing either way. Each is given a different weight when deciding how far to rely on the mark and how far on testing, which the guide to testing methods explains.
It also helps to know how the mark was put on. A struck hallmark is punched into the metal and displaces it, so it sits crisp in a slight depression and survives decades of wear. More recently the offices have also applied laser marks, which etch the surface rather than displacing metal. They suit hollow or delicate pieces but can be polished almost away. A faint laser mark on a well-worn ring is no cause for suspicion. It is shallower than a struck mark and wears sooner.
Gold and silver each have a guide of their own. The gold hallmarks guide explains what 375, 585, 750 and 916 mean and how to tell a hallmark from a plating stamp, and the silver hallmarks guide sorts sterling and Britannia from continental silver and plate.
Date letters and traditional symbols, both now optional
Beside the compulsory marks you may find a date letter, which fixes the year of hallmarking by a letter in a particular style and shield, and one of the traditional fineness symbols that state or accompany the standard. Both have been optional since 1999, so their absence on a modern piece tells you nothing about age or quality. A legible date letter gives the year the piece was hallmarked, usually close to when it was made, and an early date together with a good maker's mark is what can lift a piece above its metal. The guide to hallmark date letters shows how to read one. The assay offices have also offered occasional commemorative marks: the most recent, for the Coronation of King Charles III, shows the King's head in an oval and could be requested from 1 March 2023 to 31 December 2024. The symbols below are our own drawings, not facsimiles of any office's punch, and the palladium mark is named rather than drawn.
Traditional fineness symbols still applied as optional marks
| Symbol | Metal and standard | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Crown | Gold | Since 1975 it may accompany any approved gold fineness. Before 1975 it was struck only with 22ct and 18ct, so a crown beside 375 points to 1975 or later. A crown on older Sheffield silver is the former Sheffield office mark, not a gold mark. |
| Lion passant | Sterling silver, 925, marked in England | The walking lion. Scottish sterling carries a thistle (older Edinburgh) or a lion rampant, standing on its hind legs. Irish sterling carries a crowned harp. |
| Britannia | Britannia silver, 958 | A seated figure, showing a higher standard than sterling. It was the only legal standard for silver wares from 1697 to 1720, and since then has been used by some makers for finer work. |
| Orb | Platinum, any approved fineness | An orb surmounted by a cross. |
| Head of Pallas Athene | Palladium | Introduced with palladium hallmarking, offered from 2009 and compulsory since 2010. |
The four UK assay offices and their marks
- London strikes a leopard's head and is the oldest of the four. Older London marks show the leopard crowned; the uncrowned head has been used since the early nineteenth century.
- Birmingham strikes an anchor, the mark it has used since its office opened in 1773.
- Sheffield strikes a rose, but used a crown until 1975, so an old Sheffield silver spoon carrying a crown is not gold.
- Edinburgh strikes a three-towered castle. Its sterling standard mark was a thistle on older pieces and is a lion rampant on later ones.
Marks from closed offices such as Chester, Glasgow, Exeter, Newcastle, York and Norwich turn up on older pieces and are legitimate historic hallmarks, as are Irish marks from Dublin, whose assay office still operates. A closed office's mark means the piece is at least several decades old, and often much older, which is a reason for a second look before it is priced as metal. The silverware guide explains what to look for.
Imported pieces have their own history. From 1904 until 1998 the offices applied distinct import marks, with a different office symbol from the domestic one and the fineness shown as a decimal, such as .925 on silver or .375 on gold. On silver a decimal fineness shows a piece made abroad and tested here, because British silver never used one. On gold it does not settle origin by itself, because British 9ct, 12ct, 15ct and 14ct marked before 1975 also carried a decimal beside the carat figure (9 and .375, for example); the office symbol is what tells you. Either way it is a UK hallmark, not a foreign stamp.
Approved finenesses and exemption weights for all four metals
The UK recognises the millesimal standards below, for platinum and palladium as well as for gold and silver. A hallmarked article is certified to be at least the fineness marked, and may be a little finer. The exemption weight is the mass below which an article does not legally need a hallmark to be sold as that metal. Both sets of figures come from the Assay Offices' hallmarking guidance notes, published on GOV.UK.
UK approved finenesses (parts per thousand) and hallmarking exemption weights
| Metal | Approved finenesses | Common name | Exemption weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | 375, 585, 750, 916, 990, 999 | 9ct, 14ct, 18ct, 22ct, and two fine standards | 1 g |
| Silver | 800, 925, 958, 999 | Continental, sterling, Britannia, fine | 7.78 g |
| Platinum | 850, 900, 950, 999 | Plat 950, the usual jewellery standard | 0.5 g |
| Palladium | 500, 950, 999 | Pd 950, the usual jewellery standard | 1 g |
For a seller, the exemption weights mean that a light item without a mark is nothing to worry about. Stud earrings, small charms and fine chains under 1 g in gold are often unmarked, and that is normal. A heavy item with no mark at all is a different case, and what it is gets settled by testing rather than by reading.
Silver from mainland Europe is often a lower standard. Much of it is 800 fine, and some is 830 or 835, so a continental silver spoon holds less silver for its weight than sterling. 800 is a UK standard; 835 is not, and a UK office would mark such a piece as 800. The itemised list shows the number the stamp claimed beside what the checks found, and says which checks were used.
Common foreign and manufacturer marks and how they are treated
Much of the jewellery sold in the UK was made abroad and carries the maker's own fineness stamp rather than a UK hallmark. Most of these stamps are accurate, but none is an independent guarantee, and some are struck on metal that does not meet the number. The stamp is read and recorded, and the piece is weighed and checked for its metal before an offer is made. The methods used depend on the piece, and the offer lists them.
Marks frequently seen on imported jewellery
| Mark | Usually indicates | How it is treated |
|---|---|---|
| 585 or 14K | 14ct, 585 fine | Checked; recorded as 585 if the checks agree |
| 750 or 18K | 18ct, 750 fine | Checked; recorded as 750 if the checks agree |
| 916 or 22K | 22ct, 916 fine; common on gold from the Middle East and South Asia | Checked; 22ct pieces sometimes test below the mark, and the list then shows the mark beside what the checks found |
| 999 or 24K | Fine gold | Checked; recorded at what the checks support |
| 583 | Older Soviet 14ct standard | Checked; recorded at what the checks support |
| Common control mark (balance scales) | Hallmarking Convention mark from a member country's assay office | Legally recognised in the UK, so the piece needs no UK hallmark |
| GP, GEP, HGE, RG, GF, 1/20 12K GF | Plated, rolled or gold-filled, not solid gold | Not gold through; see the plated and filled guide |
What a mark settles, and what it leaves open
A hallmark is evidence about one thing: the proportion of precious metal in the article it was struck on. It says nothing about anything else a seller wants to know.
Questions a hallmark answers, and questions it does not
| Question | Does the hallmark settle it? |
|---|---|
| Which metal is this? | Yes. The shape of the surround around the fineness number says gold, silver, platinum or palladium. |
| How fine is the alloy? | Yes, as a minimum. A 750 mark certifies at least 750 parts gold in 1,000. |
| How much metal is in the piece? | No. A hollow bangle and a solid one of the same size can carry identical marks. |
| Are the stones or the filling covered? | No. The mark covers the metal it was struck on and nothing else in or on the piece. |
| Who made it? | Not directly. The sponsor's mark names whoever submitted it for assay, which is not always the maker. |
| When was it made? | Only roughly. A date letter gives the year of hallmarking, not of manufacture, and it has been optional since 1999. |
| Is it worth more than its metal? | No. That turns on the maker, the date, the condition and who is buying, and it is a separate judgement made by a person. |
That is why the mark is read and the piece is checked as well. Two rings can both be marked 750 and be quite different objects: one solid, one hollow; one plain, one holding a stone worth more than the ring.
It is also why the marks are worth photographing before anything else. They are small, and they hide: inside a ring shank, on the edge of a pendant bail, under the tongue of a clasp, on the underside of a base, along the stem of a spoon. A phone held close in daylight, with the piece resting on something plain and pale, picks up most of them.
A photograph of the marks does most of the work
Send pictures of the marks before you post anything, on WhatsApp or by text to 07369 296063, and we tell you what they suggest while the pieces are still at home: which look hallmarked, which carry a foreign or maker's stamp, which look plated, and which look old or fine enough for a specialist's opinion first. A photograph cannot prove what a piece is made of, but it is free and commits you to nothing.
Seller risks and exceptions
- A mark can be worn flat, struck on a replaced clasp, or moved by soldering a marked fragment onto an unmarked piece. The body of the item is checked, not only the marked part.
- The word “silver” stamped on its own, “EPNS”, “A1” and “silver plate” are not silver hallmarks. EPNS is electroplated nickel silver and holds no silver worth recovering; EPNS, A1 and Sheffield plate explained covers the rest of the plated marks.
- A bare “925” with no assay office mark is a manufacturer's claim. Most are accurate and some are not. What the checks find is what goes on the list.
- A hallmark guarantees a minimum fineness, not weight, solidity or the absence of stones. A hallmarked hollow bangle and a hallmarked weighted candlestick both contain far less metal than their gross weight.
- Gold marked 916 abroad sometimes tests lower, at 21ct or less. If that happens, the item list shows the mark, what the checks found and the fineness used for the offer. If you disagree, you can decline and have it back free.
- You do not need a hallmark to sell to Assaypost. The hallmarking rules apply to anyone describing an article as precious metal in the course of a trade or business, and a private seller offering an unmarked piece is doing nothing wrong. If you are selling for a business or other organisation, describe an unmarked piece as unmarked rather than as gold or silver, and let testing identify it.
When not to use the scrap route
A full set of old marks is a reason to pause
A date letter from before the twentieth century, a mark from a closed assay office, a recognisable maker's mark or an early Britannia standard mark can each mean a piece is worth more intact than as metal. Before you post, send photographs so the marks can be read, and ask whether the piece should be seen by a specialist first. A teapot by a known maker or a Georgian spoon belongs with a specialist dealer or an auction house rather than being melted down.
Our what we buy pages describe, for each material, the marks and features that call for a second look, and the glossary defines the terms used across these guides.
Questions sellers ask
What do the three marks on my gold ring mean?
Together they show the metal was independently tested. The sponsor's mark shows who submitted the ring for hallmarking. The number is the fineness in parts per thousand: 375 is 9ct, 585 is 14ct, 750 is 18ct and 916 is 22ct. The symbol is the assay office: a leopard's head for London, an anchor for Birmingham, a rose for Sheffield, a castle for Edinburgh.
My item has no hallmark. Can I still sell it?
Yes. The hallmarking rules apply to anyone describing items as precious metal in the course of a trade or business, not to private sellers. An unmarked piece is identified by testing, and anything below the exemption weights (1 g gold, 7.78 g silver, 0.5 g platinum, 1 g palladium) is often unmarked for entirely legitimate reasons. Selling gold by post explains how unmarked gold is tested.
Is a 925 stamp the same as a hallmark?
No. A UK hallmark includes an assay office mark showing the piece was independently tested; a bare 925 stamp is a manufacturer's claim. It is usually right, and the piece is checked before any offer is made.
Does a date letter add value?
Not on its own. It fixes the year of hallmarking, and together with the sponsor's mark it lets a specialist attribute the piece. An early date letter and a known maker's mark, on silver especially, are a reason to have a piece looked at by a specialist before it is treated as metal.
Why does 22ct read 916 and not 917?
22 parts in 24 is 916.67 parts per thousand. The punch shows 916, and the standard behind it in the Assay Offices' guidance is 916.6, so a hallmarked 22ct item is at least that fine. Sovereigns are made to 916.66 under the Coinage Act 1971, which is why their fine gold content is taken from the coin's legal standard rather than from a hallmark figure.
What does GP or GF next to a carat mark mean?
GP is gold plated and GF is gold-filled; RG is rolled gold. A fraction such as 1/20 12K GF shows how much of the metal's weight is the 12ct gold layer, here one twentieth. None of these is solid gold. The plated, rolled and filled guide explains how each is built.
Found a mark you cannot read?
Photograph the stamp close up, in good daylight, holding the piece still. A person reads it and writes back, including what the mark alone cannot tell you.
Nothing is sold until you say yes. Say no and everything comes back by tracked, signed-for post at our cost.
No WhatsApp? Call or text 07369 296063, 6am to 10pm, seven days a week.
When the mark is not the whole story
A stamp can be worn, faked or missing from perfectly good gold. So every piece posted is weighed and checked for its metal as well as read, and the offer lists the methods used.