Silver assay office marks are symbols stamped onto silver items to indicate the items purity and origin. These marks, which vary from country to country, are an important tool for collectors and dealers when assessing the value of silver items. In this blog post, well explore the history and meaning behind silver assay office marks.
Assay office marks are symbols stamped onto silver items to indicate the items purity and origin. The marks are usually stamped onto the item by an assay office, which is a government-run organization that tests and certifies the purity of precious metals. The marks are usually stamped onto the item by an assay office, which is a government-run organization that tests and certifies the purity of precious metals.
The marks vary from country to country, but typically include a symbol that indicates the items purity (such as a lion for sterling silver) and a letter or number that indicates the year in which the item was assayed. For example, a lion passant (the symbol for sterling silver) with the letter f indicates that the item was assayed in 1820.
Assay office marks have been used since the Middle Ages to certify the purity of silver items. The earliest known marks date back to the 13th century and were used by the London Goldsmiths Guild to certify the purity of silver items. The marks were stamped onto the items by the guilds assay master, who tested the items to ensure they met the guilds standards of purity.
In the 17th century, the British government began to regulate the production of silver items. The government established the first official assay office in 1773, and the assay office marks became known as hallmarks. The hallmarks were used to certify the purity of silver items and to protect consumers from fraud.
Today, many countries have their own assay offices and their own unique set of assay office marks. The marks are still used to certify the purity of silver items and to protect consumers from fraud.
Reading assay office marks can be a bit tricky, as the marks vary from country to country. However, the marks usually include a symbol that indicates the items purity (such as a lion for sterling silver) and a letter or number that indicates the year in which the item was assayed. For example, a lion passant (the symbol for sterling silver) with the letter f indicates that the item was assayed in 1820.
In some cases, the marks may also include a makers mark, which is a symbol or initials that indicate the maker of the item. For example, a makers mark of J.H. indicates that the item was made by John Henry.
Silver assay office marks are symbols stamped onto silver items to indicate the items purity and origin. The marks vary from country to country, but typically include a symbol that indicates the items purity and a letter or number that indicates the year in which the item was assayed. Assay office marks have been used since the Middle Ages to certify the purity of silver items and to protect consumers from fraud.