![]() ![]() Old silver hallmarks can be difficult to identify, as the stamps can become worn down over time. The Company met in Goldsmiths Hall, London, and this gave rise to the term 'Hallmark'. The testing was done by ‘The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths’. Items were legally required to be tested, and marked as such with a leopard head punch. With silver being used for circulating currency at the time, it was deemed that all silver items needed to be as good as the country's money. "It is ordained that no Goldsmith of England, nor none otherwhere within the King’s Dominions, shall from henceforth… work worse silver than money”. From this time, English silver was required to be at least 92.5% silver and 7.5% other metals.Īs far back as the 13th century, even specified that They may well represent one of the earliest forms of consumer protection. The term 'hallmark' actually dates back to 1478, and was introduced purposely for silver hallmarks. Silver hallmarks have been used in the UK for hundreds of years. This enables a more precise valuation to be made. Silver hallmarks therefore give a true and impartial proof of how much silver is actually found in the given item. Manufacturers therefore mix, or alloy, them with other metals to improve their strength and resilience. The marks identify which metal has been used and its purity in manufactured items, including jewellery, antique silver and other decorative objects.Īll these noble metals are, in their pure form, soft and easily scratched. The precious metal indicated will be a noble metal either gold, silver, platinum or palladium. For anyone looking to sell scrap jewellery and antiques, silver hallmarks are a vital way to know exactly what they have, and how much it might be worth.Ī British hallmark is a legal mark that is punched or moulded into items manufactured using precious metals. ![]()
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