The Electronic Guide to Assay Offices in the UK

Subject to the provisions of the Hallmarking Act 1973, it is an offence to describe articles sold in the U.K. as being wholly or partly made of GOLD, SILVER or PLATINUM unless they are hallmarked or exempt. The hallmarking can either be a British Hallmark or a Convention Mark.

British Hallmarks after 1998 consist of a Registered SPONSOR'S Mark, a Standard Mark, and an Assay Office Mark. The complete range of finenesses that the U.K. Assay Offices can hallmark is as follows:

Metal	Traditional Description	Fineness (parts/1000)
Gold	9 Carat	375
	14 Carat	585
	18 Carat	750
	22 Carat	916
		990
		999
Silver		800
	Sterling	925
	Britannia	958
		999
Platinum		850
		900
		950
		999

British Hallmarks prior to 1999 consist of a Registered SPONSOR'S Mark, a Standard Mark, an Assay Office Mark and a Date Letter.

There are four independent Assay Offices in the U.K. - London, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Sheffield. The British Hallmarking Council is the co-ordinating body. The Ministry responsible for hallmarking regulations is the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

For more information about Assaying in the U.K. we have articles that deal with the historical background to Assaying and a brief description of the Assay Office's Operations.


	The London Assay Office
		Goldsmiths' Hall Gutter Lane London EC2V 8AQ +44 (0)20 7606 8971 +44 (0)20 7606 1511
	The Birmingham Assay Office
		P.O.Box 151 Newhall Street Birmingham B3 1SB +44 (0)121 236 6951 +44 (0)121 236 9032
	The Edinburgh Assay Office
		Goldsmiths' Hall 24 Broghton Place Edinburgh EH1 3RH +44 (0)131 556 1144 +44 (0)131 556 1177
	The Sheffield Assay Office
		P.O.Box 187 137 Portobello Street Sheffield S1 4DS +44 (0)114 275 5111 +44 (0)114 275 6473

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Last Updated 17th October 2002

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