Updated
A UK hallmark means an independent assay office tested the metal and found it met the standard shown. Gold, silver, platinum and palladium items above a small weight must be hallmarked before they can be sold in the UK as precious metal.
Two more marks have been optional since 1 January 1999: a traditional symbol for the metal and a date letter for the year. Older items usually carry both.
| Mark | Means | Melt per gram (USD) |
|---|---|---|
375 | 9 carat | $48.90 |
585 | 14 carat | $76.28 |
750 | 18 carat | $97.79 |
916 | 22 carat | $119.44 |
990 | 990 gold | $129.09 |
999 | 24 carat | $130.26 |
800 | 800 silver | $1.33 |
925 | Sterling silver | $1.54 |
958 | Britannia silver | $1.59 |
999 | Fine silver | $1.66 |
850 | 850 platinum | $41.92 |
900 | 900 platinum | $44.39 |
950 | 950 platinum | $46.85 |
999 | 999 platinum | $49.27 |
500 | 500 palladium | Not priced here |
950 | 950 palladium | Not priced here |
999 | 999 palladium | Not priced here |
Melt values as of 2026-11-09, from spot prices of gold $4,055.57, silver $51.62 and platinum $1,533.98 per troy ounce.
| Office | Its mark |
|---|---|
| London | A leopard's head |
| Birmingham | An anchor |
| Sheffield | A rose. Older Sheffield silver carries a crown instead. |
| Edinburgh | A castle |
Older items can carry marks from offices that have since closed, such as Chester and Glasgow.
A set of balance scales around the fineness number is the Common Control Mark of the International Hallmarking Convention. Countries in the Convention accept it without testing the item again.
A full UK hallmark, with a sponsor's mark, a fineness mark and an assay office mark, is strong evidence, because an assay office tested the item. A bare 925 or 9ct with no assay office mark is only the maker's claim.
Items under 1 gram of gold, 7.78 grams of silver, 0.5 grams of platinum or 1 gram of palladium do not have to be hallmarked, so small rings and earrings may carry only a number or nothing. Above those weights, it is an offence to sell an unhallmarked item as gold, silver, platinum or palladium in the course of trade. Shops that sell precious metal jewelry must display a Dealer's Notice explaining the marks.
Melt value = weight in grams × purity × spot price per gram
Spot prices are quoted per troy ounce, and a troy ounce is 31.1035 grams. Gold spot is $4,055.57, so pure gold is $130.39 a gram.
5 grams of 9 carat gold: 5 × 0.375 × $130.39 = $244.48
Values are in US dollars.
Photograph it, then take a close-up of the stamp. GemstoneAI uses a legible stamp for the metal and gives a first read on what you have and what it may be worth. Your first scan is free.
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Sources: Hallmarking Act 1973, Schedule 2 and the British Hallmarking Council's hallmarking guidance notes.
The sponsor's mark (who sent it for testing), the fineness mark (the purity, such as 375 or 925) and the assay office mark (London, Birmingham, Sheffield or Edinburgh).
9 carat gold, marked 375, is real gold at 37.5% purity, the lowest standard the UK allows for gold.
Gold over 1 gram has to be hallmarked before it is sold as gold in the UK. Lighter items are exempt.