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UK hallmark numbers, decoded
A hallmark is a short, precise sentence: who submitted the ring, what precious metal it contains, how pure it is and which assay office tested it.
Every legal UK fineness standard
The number is parts of precious metal per thousand. Where 950 or 999 appears under more than one metal, the different shield around the number identifies the metal; an optional traditional symbol can confirm it.
| Metal | Mark | Purity | Approved description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | 375 | 37.5% | 9 carat gold |
| Gold | 585 | 58.5% | 14 carat gold |
| Gold | 750 | 75% | 18 carat gold |
| Gold | 916 | 91.6% | 22 carat gold |
| Gold | 990 | 99% | 990 gold |
| Gold | 999 | 99.9% | fine gold / 24 carat gold |
| Silver | 800 | 80% | 800 silver |
| Silver | 925 | 92.5% | sterling silver |
| Silver | 958 | 95.8% | Britannia silver |
| Silver | 999 | 99.9% | fine silver |
| Platinum | 850 | 85% | 850 platinum |
| Platinum | 900 | 90% | 900 platinum |
| Platinum | 950 | 95% | 950 platinum |
| Platinum | 999 | 99.9% | fine platinum |
| Palladium | 500 | 50% | 500 palladium |
| Palladium | 950 | 95% | 950 palladium |
| Palladium | 999 | 99.9% | fine palladium |
The familiar optional symbols are a crown for gold, a lion passant for 925 silver, Britannia for 958 silver and an orb for 950 platinum. The date letter is optional too.
Hallmark questions
- What do the marks inside my ring mean?
- A UK hallmark has three compulsory parts: the sponsor's mark identifying who submitted it, the fineness mark giving the metal and its purity in parts per thousand, and the assay office mark saying which office tested it. A date letter is optional and tells you the year.
- What does 750 mean on a ring?
- 750 parts per thousand gold, which is 18 carat. 375 is 9ct, 585 is 14ct, 916 is 22ct, 925 is sterling silver and 950 is platinum or palladium.
- Which assay office marked my ring?
- An anchor is Birmingham, a leopard's head is London, a rose is Sheffield and a castle is Edinburgh. Those four are the offices still operating in the UK.
- Is an unmarked precious-metal ring fake?
- Not necessarily. The UK hallmarking thresholds are 1 gram for gold and palladium, 7.78 grams for silver and 0.5 gram for platinum. Items below those weights are exempt from compulsory hallmarking, while older or imported pieces may carry historic, Convention or other foreign marks.
- Do titanium and zirconium rings have hallmarks?
- They do not receive a statutory UK hallmark. The Hallmarking Act covers gold, silver, platinum and palladium; a maker may put other identification on titanium or zirconium, but that is not a precious-metal hallmark.