Silver Hallmarks Explained

What's in a Hallmark

• Romano, the author of the "Warman's Jewelry" antique guide says the British goldsmith's guild--the Hall of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths--coined the word "hallmark," and originated its use in Great Britain. Hallmarks may be stamped, impressed or struck on silver, as well as platinum and gold. Hallmarks may include symbols identifying the place and date the gold was assayed, the maker's mark, tax or duty marks and any applicable importation and exportation marks.

Geography

• England and France have used hallmarks since the 14th century, and most other countries use them too. The American fine metal industry has never used true hallmarks though for the past hundred years it has required marks indicating fineness or karat.

French Hallmarks

• Romano rates French hallmarks as the most challenging to recognize and interpret because instead of numbers, French silversmiths use symbols: animals, animal heads, insects, birds. For one example, the French used the profile of the Roman goddess Minerva as a mark guaranteeing silver purity. A boar's head is the mark of the Paris Assay Office.

British Hallmarks

• Romano says British hallmarks include a purity mark, an assay mark, a date letter and usually a maker's mark. For most of the 19th century, silversmiths also included a royal duty mark. In addition, sterling silver was marked with a heraldic symbol, "the lion rampant," for much of English history, while Scottish sterling used a thistle.

Using Hallmarks

• Guides to antique silver or jewelry, online or in hard copy, feature photos of makers' marks. If you can find maker's marks on your antiques, you can compare them to the photos and identify them, which is an essential step toward figuring how much they are worth.