> A distinguishing mark on gold and silver to guarantee established standards of purity (the amount of base metal in the alloy) The name is derived from Goldsmith's Hall (hence hallmark) in London, where gold and silver were appraised and marked, in the mid-15th century Sometimes the mark of the assay office or guild appears with other marks Hallmarks are a good guide to age and authenticity but are not definitive as marks may become illegible due to wear, have been faked or added from other silver pieces See also Date Letter; Maker's Mark; Sterling Standard
A hallmark is an official mark put on things made of gold, silver, or platinum that indicates the quality of the metal, where the object was made, and who made it. to put a hallmark on silver, gold, or platinum. Symbol stamped on an item of silver or gold to indicate that it conforms to legal standards of purity. Hallmarking in Britain dates from 1300; no gold or silver could be sold until tested for purity and struck with the king's mark. A maker's mark was introduced in 1363; at first a symbol, such as a fish or key, it came to include or be replaced by initials. A "hallmark" was a mark made at Goldsmith's Hall, London. In the U.S., no hallmarks were initially required. In the late 18th and early 19th century, local regulations were established in New York, Boston, Baltimore, and elsewhere; makers' marks appeared and the words "coin" and "sterling" were stamped on silver objects. In 1906 the use of the words came under federal regulation. Hallmarks on gold, similar to those on silver, are also subject to federal regulation
A mark found on gold and silver articles, frequently indicating the maker, country of origin, date, and fineness of the metal The origin of the word hallmark dates to the later Middle Ages of England, when silversmiths were members of the Guildhall
{i} official mark or stamp ensuring that a gold or silver item meets a certain standard of quality (British); stamp indicating purity or authenticity; mark indicating good quality; identifying characteristic
specifically, hallmarks refers only to the punches used by an Assay Office on gold and silver items to indicate that the object meets the required standard and also to indicate where and when the object was assayed In England, from 1784-1890, a mark also indicated whether duties had been paid However, the maker's mark is also now generally included when using the term (Check out our section on hallmarks for more information)
A hallmark is an official mark (or a series of marks) made in metal that indicates the fineness of the metal and the manufacturer's mark For example, a hallmark of 925 indicates 925 parts of gold per 1000 weight Other hallmarks indicate the maker of the piece and sometimes the year of manufacture In many countries (like Britain) it is illegal to hallmark metal incorrectly; some countries are notoriously lax in their enforcement of hallmark honesty
A stamped mark which is applied to items of jewellery and silverware by the Assay Offices of Britain as a guarantee of authenticity It acts as a safeguard to purchasers The mark consists of four components The sponsor (or manufacturer) mark, the standard mark which denotes the precious metal content of the item, the Assay Office Mark (London, Birmingham, Sheffield and Edinburgh) and the date letter which shows the year in which the article was hallmarked