UK gold hallmark guide: how to read the marks on your jewellery

The short answer

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. If you would rather just ask, send a clear photo on WhatsApp and we will talk you through it.

What the gold 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, and the more it is worth per gram.

9ct and 18ct are by far the most common in British jewellery. 14ct is more typical of imported and American pieces. 22ct is common in Indian and Middle Eastern jewellery. 24ct is rarely used for wearable jewellery because it is too soft. It 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.

The three marks that make up a UK hallmark

A full modern UK hallmark has three compulsory parts, usually stamped in a row. Older pieces may also carry optional traditional symbols.

• The sponsor's mark. A set of initials inside a shield, the maker, manufacturer or company that submitted the item for hallmarking. It identifies who is responsible for the piece, not necessarily who designed it.
• The fineness mark. The number in an oval or shield, 375, 585, 750, 916, 999 for gold; 925 for sterling silver; 950 for platinum. This is the purity certification and the part that matters most for value.
• 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 traditional fineness symbols, a crown historically used on gold, and a lion passant (a side-on walking lion) used on sterling silver.

Silver and platinum marks

Silver and platinum follow the same millesimal system. The most common UK silver mark by far is 925, sterling silver, usually shown with the lion passant.

If your item is stamped EPNS, silver plated, plated or rolled gold, it is not solid precious metal, the precious content is a thin surface layer with little resale value. If you are not sure, send a photo before posting and we will tell you honestly whether it is worth sending.

Where to find the hallmark

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 are unmarked:

• Pieces made below the legal hallmarking weight threshold, very light gold items in particular are often exempt.
• Older items made before modern marking, or 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.

This is exactly why GoldPaid tests every item by XRF spectrometry rather than relying on the stamp. XRF reads the actual metal composition. It confirms whether something is gold, what carat it is, and whether it is solid or plated, with no acid, no scratching and no guesswork. You can read more on XRF testing explained.

Why the hallmark is a guide, not the final word

A hallmark is a maker’s declaration of intended purity. The real metal content of a finished, worn piece 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 true purity and weighed on calibrated scales, and your written, itemised offer is built from those measured figures. Sometimes the result is slightly below the hallmark; occasionally it is above. Either way, you are paid for exactly what is there. There is never any obligation to accept, and if you decline, your items are returned free of charge by tracked, insured post, see what happens if I decline the offer.

How GoldPaid uses your hallmark

• Ask first. Tell us what marks you can see, or send a photo on WhatsApp. We will give you a quick indicative figure before anything leaves your hands.
• Request a prepaid Royal Mail label. We send a free Royal Mail Special Delivery label, tracked, signed for, and covered up to £2,500. No printer? We send a QR code for the Post Office counter.
• Post when you are ready. There is no deadline and no pressure.
• We XRF-assay and weigh each item. The hallmark is checked against the measured purity, so a piece marked 9ct is never paid at an 18ct rate, or the reverse.
• You see the breakdown and decide. Accept and you are paid by bank transfer; decline and everything comes back to you free of charge.

Related guides

Once you know what you have, these pages explain the rest of the process: how we value gold, XRF testing explained, postage and insurance, and what happens if I decline the offer. Ready to sell? See sell gold by post UK, sell scrap gold or what we buy.

Common questions