How to Recognise Silver Hallmark
- contact523459
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
If you’ve ever turned over a silver ring, spoon, or necklace and noticed tiny stamped symbols, you’ve probably seen a silver hallmark. These small marks can tell you a lot about your item - including whether it’s real silver!
In this guide, we’ll break it down in a simple way so you can start identifying silver hallmarks with confidence.
What Is a Silver Hallmark?
A silver hallmark is a small stamp found on genuine silver items. These marks confirm that the metal has been tested by an official UK assay office and meets the required purity standards.
Hallmarks are usually very small and can often be found in places such as:
Inside rings
On bracelet clasps
On the back of spoons or forks
On the edge of silver trays or decorative items
You may need a magnifying glass to see them clearly.
Common UK Silver Purity Marks
The most common silver purity mark you will see is 925.
This means the item is made from 92.5% pure silver, also known as sterling silver. Sterling silver is the standard used for most jewellery and silverware.
Other purity marks sometimes found include:
958 – Britannia silver (95.8% pure)
800 – Lower purity silver often found in older European items
If you see the number 925, it usually means your item is sterling silver.
The UK Assay Office Marks
In addition to the purity number, genuine British silver often includes a symbol showing which assay office tested the item.
The main UK assay offices include:
London – Leopard's head
Birmingham – Anchor
Sheffield – Rose
Edinburgh – Castle
These marks confirm that the item was officially tested and hallmarked in the UK.
Date Letters
Many older silver items also contain a date letter. This letter helps identify the year the item was hallmarked.
Date letters change every year and follow a specific cycle used by each assay office. These marks can be very useful for identifying antique silver pieces.
Silver-Plated vs Solid Silver
Not all silver-coloured items are solid silver. Some pieces are silver-plated, meaning a thin layer of silver is applied over another metal.
Silver-plated items usually have markings such as:
EP
EPNS
Silver Plate
These items generally have lower scrap value than solid silver.
Selling Hallmarked Silver
If your item has a 925 hallmark or an official assay mark, there is a good chance it contains genuine silver and may have value.
At Sell Silver Online, we buy many types of silver including:
Silver jewellery
Scrap silver
Silver coins
Broken or damaged silver items
If you're unsure about your item's value, you can request a free insured valuation pack and our team will assess it for you.
Checking for silver hallmarks is one of the easiest ways to identify genuine silver. Even small items such as broken jewellery or old cutlery can still contain valuable silver.
If you have silver items you no longer need, selling them can be a simple way to unlock their value.
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