4 The Duty Mark
ilver
has for
many years been used to collect tax and help governments swell their coffers.
This was the case in 1784 when a new tax was imposed on silver and introduced a
new mark on silver which was the King’s head, shown in profile. The first king
was George III. His head is shown facing to the left, but from 1786 onwards the
monarch’s head has always pointed to the right. In 1841 when Queen Victoria
came to the throne the sovereign’s profile once more reverted to facing to the
left. It stayed this way until 1890 when the stamping of the monarch’s head
showing that tax had been paid was discontinued.
The only
provincial cities that are assaying outside of London today are Birmingham and Sheffield
and they were both established in 1773. Birmingham still uses the anchor as its
assay mark and Sheffield the crown. It is said that the two directors of the
cities involved were using the Crown and Anchor pub in London as their base
whilst waiting for their petition to be heard in Parliament, and, on the spin
of a coin, decided between the two of them who would have the anchor and who
would have the crown.
The Hallmarking Act (www.theassayoffice.co.uk)
According to the UK
Hallmarking Act of 1973 (amended 1998) it is illegal to offer items for sale
described as gold, silver or platinum unless they have been tested and
hallmarked by a UK Assay Office. An item may be exempt if it weighs less than
1.00 gm in gold or 7.78 gms in silver. It is also exempt if it weighs less than
0.50 gm in platinum.
Note: There is no weight
exemption in the Republic of Ireland, and all items destined for sale there
must be hallmarked.
The
following information has been offered by Thomas’s UK, 36 Sheep Street,
Skipton, UK, Diamonds, Fine Jewellers.
The UK
Common Control mark for sterling silver is 925 finesse. Silver has a new
commercial standard 800; this means that much jewellery and silverware which
has previously been condemned as substandard is now acceptable, although it is
not of sterling silver standard. This will bring into recognition European
silver in the 800/835 grouping which will be hallmarked 800. It is important to
watch out in the use of permitted symbols today. The lion passant (rampant in
Scotland) is the mark associated with sterling silver, while 958 Britannia
silver had a distinctly different mark. It is in the interest of the collector
to be on his guard. On silver after 1999 one must look at the purity as a
numeral, because the symbols may be confusing.