What a hallmark is and why it exists
A UK hallmark is a legal stamp applied to precious metal items by one of the four UK assay offices. It is a consumer-protection measure that has been running, in some form, since 1300. Its purpose is straightforward: to certify that the metal in the item is what the maker says it is. Without the stamp, the item cannot legally be sold as gold, silver, platinum or palladium in the UK above small weight thresholds.
For a charity shop, the value of the hallmark is that it does most of the sorting for you. A volunteer who can read three small symbols can separate a tray of donated jewellery into "set aside" and "shop floor" piles in minutes.
The three compulsory marks
Since 1999 every UK hallmark has had three compulsory parts. Older hallmarks have these plus a date letter, and many still do today even though the date letter is now optional.
- 1. Sponsor's mark. Two, three or four letters in a shaped surround, the registered initials of the maker, importer or sponsoring company. This is the "who" of the piece.
- 2. Standard mark / fineness. A three-digit number in a shaped surround telling you the purity: 375, 585, 750, 916 or 999 for gold; 800, 925, 958 or 999 for silver; 850, 900, 950 or 999 for platinum.
- 3. Assay office mark. A small symbol identifying where the piece was tested and stamped: the leopard's head (London), the anchor (Birmingham), the rose (Sheffield) or the castle (Edinburgh).
The four UK assay offices and their symbols
| Assay office | Symbol | Operating since |
|---|---|---|
| London | Leopard's head | 1300 |
| Birmingham | Anchor | 1773 |
| Sheffield | Rose (originally a crown for silver) | 1773 |
| Edinburgh | Castle (three towers) | 1681 |
Two further offices, Chester and Glasgow, operated historically and pieces from those offices still appear on charity sorting tables. Chester used three sheaves of wheat with a sword. Glasgow used a tree with a fish and bell. A volunteer does not need to memorise these to do useful sorting, but it is worth knowing the four current symbols on sight.
Date letters: useful, not compulsory
The date letter is a single letter in a shaped surround that tells you the calendar year the piece was assayed. The font, the case (capital or lower-case) and the shape of the surround all change every year, so the same letter "A" in two different fonts can be twenty years apart. Since the year 2000 date letters have been optional, but plenty of pieces still carry them.
For sorting purposes the date letter does not change whether a piece is solid gold or silver. It does help with insurance valuation and family-history conversations: a donor often asks "when was this made?" and a clear date letter answers it on the spot.
Where to look on different pieces
Rings
Look inside the band, opposite the setting. On a wide band the marks are usually a single row. On a narrow wedding band they may be spread around the inside of the band; rotate the ring under a lamp and the marks catch the light. Some signet rings have the marks on the outside edge of the shank.
Chains and necklaces
The marks are almost always on the clasp itself, on one face of the catch, or stamped on a small flat tag added next to the clasp. On heavy chains the marks may also appear on one of the end links. Lay the chain flat, find the clasp, and use a 10x loupe.
Earrings
On stud earrings the marks are usually on the back of the post, where it meets the butterfly. On drop earrings they may be on the back plate of the setting or on the loop. The marks on earrings are often very small and easy to miss without a loupe.
Bracelets, brooches and pendants
On bracelets check the clasp, the spring ring, or any small tag attached near the catch. On brooches check the back plate, near the pin mechanism. On pendants check the bail (the loop the chain goes through) or the back of the pendant itself.
A missing hallmark does not mean a missing gold
Plenty of real gold and silver arrives at the sorting table without a clear hallmark. Reasons include: the piece predates compulsory marking, the piece was made abroad in a country with no equivalent system, the marks have worn off after decades of wear, the marks are present but hidden under solder repairs, or the piece is below the weight threshold at which UK hallmarking is required (1g for gold, 7.78g for silver, 0.5g for platinum, 1g for palladium).
If a piece feels heavy, has the right colour, has the right wear pattern at the edges, and the donor history makes it plausible, it is worth sending. XRF on arrival will read the actual metal regardless of whether a stamp is present. XRF testing explained for charity shops covers what the assay can and cannot tell us.
Sending a clear photo for a pre-post read
A useful WhatsApp photo of a hallmark needs three things: enough light, a steady hand, and close enough that the symbols fill most of the frame. A smartphone camera held about 10cm away, with a desk lamp or daylight on the surface, will usually do it. If your phone has a macro mode, use it. If the marks are very faint, try holding the piece flat on a piece of dark paper to give the symbols some contrast.
Send the photo to WhatsApp 07375 071158 with a one-line note: "charity shop, donated yesterday, three marks inside the band". We read the marks and give an indicative figure on the same day. If you would rather phone, 07763 741067 is a different line that goes straight through to the team.
What happens after photo, label and post
Once the photo read makes sense, we send a free Royal Mail Special Delivery prepaid label. Cover is up to £2,500, higher available on request before posting. On arrival, each piece is XRF-tested for purity, weighed on calibrated scales, and priced against the LBMA benchmark on the day of valuation. The hallmark guides the sorting; the XRF assay sets the offer. A written itemised valuation goes back to the charity's head-office contact, payment is by Faster Payments to the charity's registered bank account, same day where the offer is accepted before 3pm UK time, and any item the charity declines is returned, free, tracked and insured.
Common volunteer mistakes when reading hallmarks
- Confusing a ring size with a fineness mark. Ring sizes are often stamped inside the band as a letter (P, Q, R, S) or as a US number (6, 7, 8). These are not hallmarks. A real fineness mark on UK gold will be a three-digit number (375, 585, 750, 916).
- Reading a maker's number as a fineness mark. Some makers stamp a serial or pattern number on the inside of the band. If the number is four digits or more, it is not a fineness mark; UK fineness is always three digits.
- Assuming "9K" or "14K" without a hallmark is fake. Pieces stamped with a carat letter alone, especially imported pieces from the Middle East, US or Asia, can still be solid gold; they are simply not UK-hallmarked. XRF on arrival reads the actual metal.
- Cleaning the marks too hard. Aggressive polish, especially with a rotary tool, wears the punches and removes information. A soft cloth and a small amount of jewellery cleaner is enough.
- Missing the marks because they are on the clasp. On chains and bracelets the marks are almost never on the chain links themselves; check the clasp, the spring ring, or a small tag near the catch.
Quick reference: which symbols mean what
| Symbol or stamp | What it means | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Walking lion (lion passant) | UK sterling silver standard mark | Set aside for posting |
| Seated Britannia | UK Britannia silver, 958 | Set aside for posting |
| Crown above a number | Older UK gold standard mark (pre-1999) | Set aside for posting |
| Leopard's head | Assayed in London | Information only |
| Anchor | Assayed in Birmingham | Information only |
| Rose | Assayed in Sheffield | Information only |
| Castle (three towers) | Assayed in Edinburgh | Information only |
| Three sheaves of wheat with a sword | Assayed in Chester (closed 1962) | Information only |
| 375 / 585 / 750 / 916 / 999 | Solid gold fineness | Set aside for posting |
| 925 / 958 | Sterling / Britannia silver fineness | Set aside for posting |
| GP / GF / RGP / 1/20 / 1/10 | Plated, not solid | Shop floor |
| EPNS / EP / EPBM / A1 | Silver-plate, not silver | Shop floor |
Common questions
What is the smallest possible UK hallmark?
On modern pieces under the optional date letter rule, three small punches: the sponsor mark, the standard mark, and the assay office symbol. Older pieces will have a date letter as a fourth.
Why does an old piece have a different lion?
The lion passant has been redrawn several times since 1544. The walking lion in profile is the consistent silver standard mark. The exact engraving has been updated over the centuries.
A piece has a "9.375" stamp instead of a hallmark. Is it gold?
A 9.375 or 9KP mark is a maker-applied purity claim, common on imported or older pieces. It indicates 9ct intent. XRF on arrival reads the actual metal regardless of the format.
The piece has four marks but the assay office symbol does not match the list. What is it?
Likely an older Chester or Glasgow piece, or a foreign mark. Send a photo and we will identify it.
Can a piece be hallmarked silver and still be worth almost nothing?
Not from a metal-content point of view. Sterling pays per gram of silver content against the live market rate. Very light pieces simply pay a small absolute figure.
Do I need to clean the marks before photographing them?
No. A gentle wipe with a dry cloth is fine. Do not use abrasive polish on a hallmark, it can wear the punches and lose information.
What if I cannot find the marks at all?
Send a photo of the piece and a close-up of any small numbers or letters you can see. We will tell you whether the piece is worth posting or whether it stays on the shop floor.