Sterling silver is one of the most popular precious metals used for making jewelry, flatware, and other decorative items. Its a beautiful metal thats been used for centuries, and its still highly sought after today. One of the most interesting aspects of sterling silver is its hallmarking system, which is unique to England and dates back to the 1300s.
Hallmarks are tiny stamps that are applied to silver items to indicate the purity of the metal and the origin of the item. In England, the hallmarking system is regulated by the Hallmarking Act of 1973, which requires all silver items to be assayed and hallmarked before they can be sold. The hallmarking system is designed to protect consumers from buying silver items that are not made from genuine sterling silver.
The English hallmarking system consists of five main components: the makers mark, the standard mark, the assay office mark, the date letter, and the duty mark. The makers mark is a unique symbol or set of initials that identifies the maker of the item. The standard mark indicates the purity of the silver, which must be at least 92.5% pure silver (also known as 925 sterling silver). The assay office mark indicates which assay office tested the silver and approved it for sale. The date letter is a single letter that indicates the year in which the item was assayed and hallmarked. Finally, the duty mark is a symbol that indicates the item has been taxed.
These five marks are stamped onto the item in a very specific order, and each mark is very small. The marks are usually located on the back or underside of the item, and they can be difficult to see with the naked eye. Its important to remember that not all silver items will have all five marks some may only have a few, while others may have none at all.
The English hallmarking system is an important part of the history of silver, and its still in use today. Its a great way to ensure that youre buying genuine sterling silver, and its also a great way to identify the maker and date of a silver item. If youre looking to buy silver items, be sure to look for the English hallmarks on sterling silver to ensure youre getting a genuine product.