Gold hallmark chart: what 375, 585, 750, 575 and 373 stamps mean

How do you read a UK gold hallmark?

Look for the number. It is the fineness mark, the parts of pure gold per thousand: 375 means 9ct, 585 is 14ct, 750 is 18ct and 916 is 22ct. On a UK hallmark it sits in a rectangle with cut corners, beside the sponsor’s mark and the assay office mark. A hallmark shows the standard when the piece was marked, so GoldPaid XRF-tests every item to confirm what is there now.

Seen a 575 or 373 stamp? Neither is a recognised UK gold fineness mark. It may be a misreading, an unofficial mark or a different kind of number; do not silently convert it into 585 or 375. Foreign numbers such as 333, 417, 583 and 875 need their own context: see what 417, 333, 583, 585 and 875 mean on gold. Rolled-gold wording describes layered construction rather than solid gold throughout. XRF readings at tested areas support an assessment, but do not by themselves establish every part of an item’s internal construction.

A UK assay office can only hallmark gold at the standards listed in Schedule 2 of the Hallmarking Act 1973: 375, 585, 750, 916.6 (struck as 916), 990 and 999. Any other number is a foreign standard, a maker’s own stamp or a misreading. This chart covers the stamps people most often ask about.

Rolled gold marks are explained in more detail in rolled gold vs solid gold. Whatever the stamp says, reading it is only the first step: the metal is then XRF-tested to measure its real purity and weighed, and the offer follows those figures rather than the number.

What is a hallmark, and what does it certify?

You do not need to understand hallmarks to sell with GoldPaid, every item is tested by XRF spectrometry on arrival, so the offer is based on measured fact, not the stamp. But knowing how to read your own marks helps you understand roughly what you have before you post gold for valuation from anywhere in the UK. If you would rather just ask, send a clear photo on WhatsApp and we will talk you through it.

What do the gold fineness numbers mean?

UK gold is marked with its millesimal fineness, the parts of pure gold per thousand. That number maps directly onto the carat (ct) system most people know. The higher the number, the more pure gold the item contains.

GoldPaid values every piece on its confirmed gold content, not on the stamp. Final offers depend on inspection, item weight, purity, hallmarks, stones, non-gold components, condition and the live precious-metal market. 9ct and 18ct are long-established British jewellery standards; 14ct was only added in 1932 and is more typical of imported and American pieces. 22ct is widely worn in Indian and Middle Eastern jewellery, and GoldPaid buys 22ct gold and silver from Leicester by post rather than over a counter. 24ct is rarely used for wearable jewellery because it is too soft, and is mostly seen in coins and bars. Whatever the carat, GoldPaid pays for the confirmed gold content; see how we value gold for the exact method.

Which three marks make up a UK hallmark?

A full modern UK hallmark has three compulsory parts, usually stamped in a row, and may carry optional marks beside them.

1. The sponsor’s mark. The registered identifier of the person or business submitting the item for hallmarking, usually initials in a surround; approved logos are also possible. It identifies the responsible submitter, not necessarily the maker or designer.
2. The fineness mark. The number inside a surround whose shape shows the metal: a rectangle with cut corners for gold (375, 585, 750, 916, 990, 999), an oval for silver (800, 925, 958, 999), a house shape with a pointed top for platinum (850, 900, 950, 999), and for palladium (500, 950, 999) three joined circles with one digit in each (a trapezium on marks struck in 2009). This is the purity certification and the part that matters most for value.
3. The assay office mark. A small symbol showing which UK assay office tested the item: a leopard’s head for London, an anchor for Birmingham, a rose for Sheffield, a castle for Edinburgh.

Optional extras include a date letter (a single letter in a shaped shield showing the year of hallmarking) and a traditional fineness symbol: a crown on gold, a lion passant on sterling silver (a lion rampant if marked in Edinburgh), Britannia on 958 silver, an orb on 950 and 999 platinum, and the head of Pallas Athene on palladium. The date letter and these symbols have been optional since 1 January 1999, so a modern piece may not show them, although the Goldsmiths’ Company Assay Office in London still applies the traditional symbol as standard.

How do foreign gold marks compare: India, Italy, Germany, the USA, the Gulf and Turkey?

The practical point for a UK seller: every foreign-marked piece is XRF-tested on arrival, and the offer is set on the assayed content, not the stamp. If the stamp is right, you are paid on it; if it is generous, the figure follows what is actually there. Sources, checked 10 September 2026 (India re-checked 11 September 2026): GOV.UK hallmarking summary (Convention marks); Government of India press releases on BIS hallmarking of 16 June 2021 and 4 March 2023; Camera di Commercio Pistoia-Prato (Italian marks); German Feingehaltsgesetz.

What do silver and platinum marks mean?

Silver, platinum and palladium follow the same millesimal system. The UK silver standards are 800, 925 (sterling), 958 (Britannia) and 999, each in an oval surround.

Marks such as EPNS, silver plated and rolled gold describe a surface layer or layered construction; they do not establish solid gold or solid silver throughout. GoldPaid does not buy gold-plated base metal, rolled gold or silver plate. That buying policy does not mean the object has no possible collectable or specialist value. Send a photograph before posting if you are unsure which route applies.

Where do you find the hallmark on your jewellery?

The marks are small, often less than a millimetre across, so use good light and a magnifying glass or your phone camera’s zoom.

• Rings, on the inside of the band.
• Chains and bracelets, on the clasp, on the small flat tag next to the clasp, or on an end link.
• Earrings, on the post, the butterfly back, or the hook fitting.
• Pendants and lockets, on the bail (the loop the chain passes through) or the back edge.
• Watches, inside the case back, on solid gold or silver cases.

What if there is no hallmark at all?

A missing hallmark does not mean an item is not gold or silver. Plenty of genuine precious-metal items carry no stamp at all, including gold crowns, bridges and inlays, which are cast from dental alloy, never sent for hallmarking, and perfectly legal to sell. The usual reasons a piece is unmarked:

• Pieces below the legal hallmarking weight. The exemption weights and the full UK hallmarking notice set the thresholds out: 1 gram for gold and palladium, 7.78 grams for silver, 0.5 grams for platinum.
• Gold and silver items that can be shown to have been made before 1950, not altered since and of at least the minimum fineness, and pieces where the mark has simply worn away.
• Imported jewellery that was never submitted to a UK assay office.
• Repaired or altered items where the original marked section was removed.

GoldPaid tests every item by XRF rather than relying on a stamp alone. XRF measures composition at tested surface or near-surface areas; coatings, separate components and inaccessible interiors can limit what those readings establish. The assessment also considers construction, weight and visible marks. Read more on XRF testing explained.

Why is the hallmark a guide and not the final word?

A UK hallmark confirms the piece met at least the marked standard when an assay office tested it, and a bare number stamped by a maker is only a claim. The metal in a worn piece today can differ:

• Solder at clasp joints and ring sizings is often a lower carat than the body of the item.
• Repairs done over the years may have used mixed alloys.
• Replacement parts, a new clasp, a new earring back, may not match the original.

So your offer is never built from the stamp alone. Each item is XRF-assayed to confirm its purity and weighed, and your written, itemised offer is built from those measured figures. Sometimes the result is slightly below the hallmark; occasionally it is above. Ask how the assessed purity, relevant weight and any excluded components produce the amount offered. There is never any obligation to accept, and if you decline, your items are returned free of charge by tracked, signed-for post, see what happens if I decline the offer.

How does GoldPaid use your hallmark?

1. Ask first. Tell us what marks you can see, or send a photo on WhatsApp. We will give you an instant estimate before anything leaves your hands.
2. Request a prepaid Royal Mail label. We send a free Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed label, tracked and signed for. Royal Mail cover may be available up to £2,500 depending on the postal method and cover level used. GoldPaid can confirm the appropriate postal option before you post. Larger lots go on more than one label at no charge. No printer? We send a QR code for the Post Office counter.
3. Post when you are ready. There is no deadline and no pressure.
4. We XRF-test and weigh each item. The visible mark is considered alongside measured composition, construction and the relevant weight; a discrepancy should be explained in the assessment.
5. You see the breakdown and decide. Accept and you are paid by bank transfer; decline and everything comes back to you free of charge.

Which marks mean an item is not solid gold?

Some marks look reassuring but do not mean solid precious metal. It helps to recognise them before you decide what to post:

• Rolled gold, "RG" or "1/20 12ct". A gold layer bonded over another metal. It contains some gold but is not solid gold throughout, and GoldPaid does not buy it.
• Gold plated, "GP", "GEP" or "HGE". An electroplated surface layer measured in microns. Not bought as precious metal.
• "Gold filled" or "GF". More gold than plating, but still a bonded layer, not solid gold throughout.
• EPNS and "silver plate". Electroplated nickel silver, a plated finish rather than solid sterling.
• "925" on gold-coloured jewellery. The number claims sterling silver fineness and may appear on gold-plated silver. The stamp alone does not prove the composition; confirmed silver is assessed as silver.

If a piece carries one of these marks, send a photo on WhatsApp before posting and we will tell you honestly whether it is worth the trip. For the metal-content side of value, see scrap gold value and the gold price and selling by post.

A worked reading: one chain, two different marks

Imagine a chain with a clear number on its clasp and a faint group of marks on a small tag. The first useful step is to identify where each mark is, not to decide that the whole chain must match the clearest number. Photograph the clasp, tag and chain together, then take closer pictures of the two marked areas. Describe what you can see without substituting a guessed number for an unclear one. This is an illustrative reading exercise, not a description of a customer’s item.

A clasp can have been replaced, and a tag can provide information that a bare number on the clasp does not. That possibility does not establish that anything is wrong with the chain. It tells the assessor which components need consideration. If the tag appears to show a full hallmark while the clasp carries a different number, keep both observations in the enquiry. Removing the apparently inconsistent fitting would discard useful evidence and could damage the item.

The same approach applies to a pendant and chain sold together. A hallmark on the pendant does not automatically describe the chain, and a mark on an earring back does not automatically describe its stud. Grouped items should remain associated in the photographs while their individual marks are recorded. This gives the examiner a clearer starting point and helps prevent a later offer for several components being mistaken for one uniform metal assessment.

Once the physical assessment is available, ask how it relates to those observations. Were different components treated separately? Does the stated weight refer to the whole item or the metal included in the purchase? The answer should explain the proposed offer, rather than merely replacing one unexplained number with another. Keep the original photograph alongside the assessment so that an unresolved discrepancy can be discussed precisely.

Make a useful photograph of a difficult mark

Support the piece on a stable, non-abrasive surface and work with light from different angles. A tiny impression can disappear in reflected glare even though it is readable to the eye. Take several ordinary photographs rather than relying on one heavily enlarged image. Include a wider view that shows the object and the marked component. That context is useful when several similar rings or chains are being discussed at once.

Focus on the mark itself and check the photograph before putting the jewellery away. Digital enlargement can make an existing image larger, but it cannot recover detail that was never captured. Avoid filters, sharpening effects or annotations drawn over the mark. Send the original image as well as any labelled copy. If a number might be either a three or an eight, explain the uncertainty in the message rather than editing the image to make one interpretation appear clearer.

Do not scrape a groove, deepen a stamp or polish a small area to make the mark easier to read. Those actions can damage the item and alter the evidence. A watch case or delicate setting should not be opened solely to find a hallmark unless an appropriately skilled person is handling it. An inaccessible mark is a limitation to report, not a reason to force a part apart. The assessor can explain whether a safer examination is needed.

For several objects, use a simple temporary reference beside each in the wider photograph. Keep any labels off fragile finishes and away from the stamp. A sequence such as ring A, ring B and pendant C is enough to connect the close-ups with the right pieces. This is more useful than a folder of almost identical cropped numbers with no indication of which item carries which mark.

Research a sponsor without inventing a maker attribution

A sponsor is the person or business responsible for submitting an article for hallmarking. That role can be performed by a manufacturer, importer, retailer or another registered submitter. A match to a sponsor’s initials therefore does not automatically name the person who designed or physically made the piece. Keep that distinction when describing an inherited item or comparing it with a named-maker auction result.

Match the surrounding shape as well as the letters. Similar initials may belong to different registrations, and a partial impression can remove the very detail that distinguishes them. Check that the reference covers the office and period suggested by the other marks. Finding a famous name with the same two initials is not enough. If several plausible matches remain, list them as possibilities rather than choosing the most valuable association.

A separate signature, retailer name or trademark may add information, but it performs a different function from the hallmark. Photograph both. An assessor considering collectable or designer value may need to examine construction, design, provenance and other features alongside those markings. A sponsor identification can support that enquiry; it cannot carry the whole authentication on its own.

When a catalogue or family note gives an attribution, retain the wording and its source. “Previously described as” and “confirmed by” are different levels of evidence. If the supporting record is missing, say so. Preserving the distinction allows a specialist to decide whether further research is proportionate before the item is considered for its metal alone.

Read a date letter as part of a group

Begin with the assay office, then compare the letter’s case, style and surround with a reference for that office. A single letter can recur in different cycles. The oldest match on an image search is not necessarily the correct one, and a clear capital letter should not be matched to a lower-case example simply because the outline is worn. Record the features that are visible and those that remain uncertain.

The date letter concerns the hallmarking event. It does not automatically date every later component or repair, and an old marked component can form part of an altered object. That is why the physical construction matters alongside the table of letters. If a ring’s marked section has survived a resizing, the date can still be informative without establishing that the ring is completely unchanged since that year.

The absence of a date letter on a modern hallmark is not a defect by itself: the date letter is optional. Conversely, a letter elsewhere on an item might be part of a sponsor’s mark or another inscription rather than a hallmark date. Look at its position and surround before treating it as a year. A personal engraving with a date may record a gift or event and should be recorded separately.

For an older object, an uncertain date need not stop an initial enquiry. Give a description such as “office symbol appears to be London; date letter not yet resolved” and include the photograph. This is preferable to a confident age that later has to be corrected. A specialist can decide whether the date materially affects the proposed sale route or whether another feature deserves attention first.

Understand the boundary between a hallmark and an assay result

A recognised hallmark records an independent assessment against the relevant standard and rules. A current examination considers the actual object now presented, including any repairs, separate components or coatings. These are related forms of evidence, but they do not answer every question in the same way. If the two appear inconsistent, ask for an explanation of the tested area and the construction rather than assuming either that the stamp is fraudulent or that the instrument reading settles everything.

XRF measurements concern the material reached at the tested surface or near-surface region. Coatings and the choice of test point can affect the result. Readings from several relevant areas may help an examiner investigate differences, but a surface technique does not by itself reveal every inaccessible interior. That limitation matters when an article has layered construction, a filled part or components that cannot be treated as one uniform alloy.

A written assessment is more useful when it distinguishes observations from conclusions. For example, the visible mark can be recorded separately from the measured composition at a stated area, and the treatment of non-metal parts can be explained separately from the gross weight. You do not need to operate an analyser to ask which evidence supports the proposed purchase amount.

If the item has potential value as an antique, signed piece or collectable, a composition test does not answer that market question. Nor does a hallmark alone determine the condition or value of stones. Resolve those questions with an appropriate specialist where they could affect the decision. A technically credible metal reading and a well-considered choice of selling route are both useful, but they are different parts of the assessment.

Do not turn a fineness number into a whole-item value

The fineness figure describes the proportion of precious metal in the relevant alloy. The weight of a complete piece can include stones, springs, other fittings or non-metal material. Multiplying the complete weight by a fineness figure without considering those components can overstate the fine-metal content. A hallmark table is therefore a reference for interpreting a mark, not a ready-made valuation of an object on a kitchen scale.

As a purely illustrative calculation, 8 grams of confirmed 750 gold alloy contains 6 grams of fine gold: 8 multiplied by 0.750. That example assumes the 8 grams is the relevant alloy weight, not the weight of a stone-set item with unaccounted components. It is not a purchase quote or a promise about what a buyer will pay. Keep the assumptions alongside any calculation rather than presenting the arithmetic alone.

Small differences can arise from rounding, but a material disagreement should be explained rather than dismissed as rounding automatically. Ask whether the same item and weight basis are being used in both figures. A comparison between gross jewellery weight and assessed metal weight is not a comparison of like with like. Likewise, a value derived from a nominal carat description may not use exactly the same stated fineness as a particular measurement or standard.

When reviewing an offer, identify which pieces it covers and whether any component is excluded, returned or assessed separately. A single total may be convenient, but the item-level explanation is what lets you decide whether to accept all, some or none of a proposed sale under the agreed process. Do not dismantle a piece at home simply to try to reproduce the buyer’s calculation.

Know when an unresolved mark needs a different next step

Some enquiries can be resolved with a clearer photograph. Others need a reference outside the scope of a general UK guide, such as a historic foreign office, an unfamiliar sponsor or an unusual composite object. Before spending time on further research, identify the question that could change your decision. Is the concern whether it contains precious metal, whether a particular attribution is sound, or whether it can lawfully be offered for sale with a given description?

For a personal sale to a buyer, a worn or absent mark is not in itself a reason to discard the item. A business offering an article as precious metal has separate hallmarking obligations and must consider the applicable requirements and exemptions. This guide does not turn a photograph into a legal clearance for a retail listing. Where a trading description depends on an uncertain or altered hallmark, obtain appropriate advice from an assay office or Trading Standards rather than relying on a simplified rule about one visible stamp.

If you suspect a mark has been altered, preserve the item and the records as they are. Do not attempt to recreate a missing impression or remove a suspicious component. Give the examiner the reason for your concern and any relevant purchase or repair history. An unusual mark is not automatically a counterfeit; equally, a familiar number is not automatic proof of authenticity.

There is also a legitimate point at which to pause. If the remaining uncertainty concerns a potentially important attribution, a family decision or the authority to sell, obtaining a quick metal estimate need not settle it. Keep the item while the relevant question is answered. A useful hallmark reading supports an informed decision; it should not push you into a sale before the questions that matter to you have been resolved.

Keep a short record of an unresolved identification

A useful enquiry record need not be elaborate. Give the item a simple reference, describe the marked component and transcribe the visible characters. Add the photographs and note the reference used for any proposed match. Keep separate lines for what is certain, what is possible and what still needs examination. This prevents a tentative reading from becoming an established fact simply because it has been repeated in several messages.

For example, an entry might say: “Ring A; mark inside band; 750 clearly visible; other symbols indistinct; no maker attribution established.” A later entry can add the examiner’s findings without erasing the original observation. If the examiner identifies a repair or another component, include that explanation. The point is to make the reasoning traceable, not to create an official certificate or a substitute for a professional assessment.

When two people give different interpretations, send each the same complete information. A close-up cropped around one number may lead to a different initial response from photographs of the whole object and all its marks. Ask what additional evidence would resolve the disagreement. It may be a better view of the surround, an office-specific reference or physical examination. Avoid using a majority vote between image-search results as authentication.

Keep personal information out of a public identification request where it is unnecessary. A hallmark photograph does not usually need a home address, bank details or a full estate document beside it. If provenance material is relevant, ask the appropriate specialist how it should be shared. Retain the original privately so that an edited copy does not become the only surviving record.

Finally, connect the research to the decision. If the question is whether to obtain a specialist jewellery opinion before selling, record that next step. If the uncertainty concerns only a date letter that will not affect your intended metal assessment, say so without inventing a year. A clear statement of what remains unknown is more useful than a polished but unsupported description.

How do you get from a hallmark to a written offer?

Once you know roughly what your marks mean, the next step is an instant estimate. Send a photo on WhatsApp and we will tell you how we would value the piece, or see how we value gold for the full method. Final offers depend on inspection, item weight, purity, hallmarks, stones, non-gold components, condition and the live precious-metal market. To sell, GoldPaid is postal-only: see sell gold by post UK for the route and what happens if you decline. The town pages cover the same steps from one postcode area, for example selling gold from Bradford by post.

Common questions