What are silver hallmarks?

Silver hallmarks are more than just decorative marks; they provide essential information about the piece. These markings indicate the purity of the silver, identify the maker, and often offer clues about when the item was crafted. A complete set of silver hallmarks typically includes four key elements:

• The date letter
• The town mark
• The maker’s mark
• The lion passant

Let’s delve deeper into what each of these marks reveals to us…

The date letter

The date letter hallmark on silver is a key indicator of the year the piece was officially hallmarked.

The town mark

The town mark serves to identify the location where the item was crafted, with each area represented by its own distinctive symbol. 

For example, the town mark for Glasgow features a unique combination of symbols: a tree, a fish, and a bell, as illustrated below.

The maker’s mark

By now you’ll know where the item was from and the date it was hallmarked. Next, you’ll want to identify the maker. This will let you know which company or person actually created the piece.

Below we’ve used an example of a silver piece that was created in 1828, Chester by the maker John Coakley.

The lion passant

We’ve kept, arguably, the most important hallmark to last. This is known as the lion passant. This mark is of extreme importance as it essentially confirms if the piece you have or are considering for purchase is genuine silver. If it does not have the lion passant, unfortunately, it’s unlikely to be silver. It may instead just be silver plated.

If the piece originated in Scotland however, then you can expect the mark to be of a ‘thistle’ as opposed to a lion.

The lion can appear in two forms; the lion passant or the lion passant guardant. The hallmark on earlier silver items will have the lion looking towards you; this is therefore known as the lion passant guardant.

When did silver hallmarks first appear?

Now that you understand what each of the marks represents, you might be wondering when silver hallmarks first originated. The answer takes us back to 1300, with the introduction of the ‘Leopard’s Head’ hallmark. This marked the beginning of a standardised system, with the first guild established to ensure all silver was tested and appropriately marked at designated guild halls.