Reading Room · Provenance Guide
British Silver Hallmarks
An essential guide to identifying assay office towns, purity standards, and date marks.
Standard Purity Marks
Understanding the Lion Passant, Britannia, and official fineness stamps on antique silver.
The Lion Passant guarantees sterling purity (.925). The seated figure of Britannia represents higher standard (.958), introduced during the Great Recoinage of 1697.
Assay Office Towns
Determining origin across London, Birmingham, Sheffield, Chester, and Edinburgh offices.
- London Leopard's Head (Crowned before 1822)
- Birmingham Anchor Mark
- Sheffield Crown (Yorkshire Rose after 1975)
- Edinburgh Castle with Three Towers
Explore silver collection