In the United Kingdom, hallmarks serve as a guarantee of the purity and quality of precious metals, including silver bullion. These hallmarks are applied by an assay office after thorough testing to confirm that the metal meets legal standards. For silver, the hallmark typically includes several marks: the maker’s mark indicating the manufacturer, the assay office mark denoting the office that tested the silver, Edinburgh Castle representing the Edinburgh Assay Office, the date letter for the year of testing, and the millesimal fineness mark showing the purity of the silver.
However, not all silver items are required to carry a hallmark. There are exemptions in place that depend on the weight of the silver item. For example, as of my knowledge cutoff date in early 2023, silver articles weighing less than 7.78 grams do not need to be hallmarked. Bars, Rounds & Bullion (Silver sold by weight)
This rule is in place to alleviate the burden on crafters and manufacturers of small, low-value items where hallmarking might not be economically viable.
It’s important to note that the regulations and exemptions can change, so for the most current information, it’s best to consult the UK’s assay offices or relevant trade associations. Always ensure that you are dealing with reputable dealers when buying silver bullion to avoid any issues with authenticity or quality.
Why is Hallmarking even an option, I thought anything over 8g had to be Hallmarked ?
Under Schedule 1 of the Hallmarking Act 1973, ‘raw materials’ and ‘bullion’—specifically including bars, rods, sheets, and wire—are explicitly exempt from hallmarking requirements. We have consulted directly with both the Edinburgh and Birmingham Assay Offices, who have confirmed that our hand-poured products are classified as bullion sold by weight and are therefore exempt from compulsory hallmarking.
The exact law regarding raw materials is found in Schedule 1, Part II of the Hallmarking Act 1973, which lists “Exempted Articles.”
Here is the text verbatim from the legislation:
The Law: Hallmarking Act 1973, Schedule 1, Part II, Paragraph 7
“Any raw material (including any bar, plate, sheet, foil, rod, wire, strip or tube) or bullion.”
