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What are silver hallmarks?
Is all silver hallmarked or not? What about silver jewelry and bullion?
- What are Silver Hallmarks?
- Does All Silver Bullion Have a Hallmark?
- Does All Silver Jewelry Have a Hallmark?
- How To Check Silver for Hallmarks and Purity?
- What is 999 Hallmark on Silver?
- What is 958 Hallmark on Silver?
- What is 925 Hallmark on Silver?
- What is 900 Hallmark on Silver?
- What is 875 Hallmark on Silver?
- What is 800 Hallmark on Silver?
- What is Winged Unicorn Hallmark on Silver?
- Is it Enough to Check Silver for Hallmarks to See if its Real or Fake?
Table of Contents
What are Silver Hallmarks?
Silver hallmarks are small, stamped markings on silver items that indicate the purity of the silver, the maker, the assay office, and sometimes the date of manufacture.
Silver hallmarks serve as a guarantee of silver’s quality and origin, allowing for the identification and authentication of silver pieces.
Does All Silver Bullion Have a Hallmark?
No, not all silver bullion has a hallmark.
Some silver bullion products, particularly those produced by reputable mints and refineries, are stamped with their weight and purity. But many are not as hallmarks aren’t required on silver bullion like they are on some other silver items like jewelry.
Many silver bars and coins will feature stamps indicating their fineness (e.g., .999 for 99.9% pure silver) and the refiner or mint’s mark, but these aren’t considered hallmarks in the same way as the traditional marks found on silverware or other crafted silver items.
Does All Silver Jewelry Have a Hallmark?
Not all silver jewelry has a hallmark. Whether silver jewelry bears a hallmark depends on several factors.
First, there’re legal requirement by country. For example, In the UK, silver items over 7.78 grams must be hallmarked by an assay office Whereas the US has no legal requirement for hallmarking silver jewelry.
European Union countries have varying requirements, with some mandating hallmarks for silver above certain weights and any other countries have their own specific regulations or no requirements at all
Here are some common scenarios where real silver isn’t hallmarked.
- Handmade or artisan pieces, especially from independent creators
- Vintage or antique jewelry that predates hallmarking requirements
- Imported jewelry from countries without strict hallmarking laws
- Silver-plated items (which typically aren’t hallmarked since they’re not solid silver)
- Very small or delicate pieces that are difficult to mark,’
- Costume jewelry that may contain some silver but isn’t primarily silver
How To Check Silver for Hallmarks and Purity?
To check the purity and authenticity of silver, look for hallmarks and stamps on the silver pieces’s surface.
Silver hallmarks are typically found on the inside or underside of the item (on clasps, bands, or handles) in inconspicuous places so as not to take away from the aesthetics of the piece.
What is 999 Hallmark on Silver?
A 999 hallmark on silver, also known as “fine silver” or “three nines fine,” indicates that the silver is 99.9% pure. This means it contains only a very small amount of other metals, typically less than 0.1%.
This purity level is often used for IRA-approved silver bullion, such as bars and coins, and is considered the most valuable type of silver commercially available.
What is 958 Hallmark on Silver?
A 958 hallmark on silver indicates the item is made of Britannia silver. Britannia silver is 95.8% pure silver and 4.2% copper and other metals added for increased strength and durability. This standard is higher than sterling silver (92.5% silver) and was historically used in the UK as an optional standard, denoted by the “958” mark and sometimes accompanied by the Britannia symbol.
What is 925 Hallmark on Silver?
The 925 hallmark on silver, also known as a sterling silver hallmark, indicates the piece is made of 92.5% pure silver. The remaining 7.5% is another metal, often copper, added for strength and durability, as pure silver is naturally soft. Sterling silver alloy is known as “silver 925”, and the “925” signifies its purity level.
What is 900 Hallmark on Silver?
A “900” hallmark on silver indicates the silver item is made of 90% pure silver and 10% other metals. 900 silver was frequently used in older American coins and is also found in jewelry and other items from various countries.
Remember that while the “900” stamp often indicates coin silver, it can also refer to platinum, especially in older coins and jewelry. Check with a professional jeweler if you’re not sure.
What is 875 Hallmark on Silver?
The 875 hallmark on silver indicates a silver alloy with 875 parts per 1000 of pure silver. 875 silver contains 87.5% pure silver and 12.5% other metals, usually copper alloyed with silver for added strength and durability.
875 silver is often associated with Russian silver, specifically the “84 zolotnik” standard, which is equivalent to 875/1000. The 875 hallmark is also found on European silver items (European silver), sometimes as an alternative to sterling silver.
What is 800 Hallmark on Silver?
The 800 hallmark on silver indicates the item is made of 80% silver and 20% other metals. 800 silver alloy is often referred to as “International Coin Silver” and was commonly used in Europe, especially for items decorated with niello (because it could withstand the high firing temperatures needed for this decorative technique better than higher-grade silver alloys.)
What is Winged Unicorn Hallmark on Silver?
The “Winged Unicorn” hallmark on silver refers to a specific mark used to identify and authenticate Argentium Silver, a brand of high-purity silver alloy.
Silver Argentium is a modern silver alloy with a higher silver content (93.5%, 94%, or 96%) that includes germanium, a metalloid that replaces some of the copper. Germanium as a copper replacement in Silver Argentium helps increase hardness and durability and increase tarnish resistance.
Is it Enough to Check Silver for Hallmarks to See if its Real or Fake?
No, it’s not enough to check silver for hallmarks to see if it’s real or fake. This is because silver forgers like to add hallmarks to their fake gold to imitate authenticity.
This means you can’t tell whether silver is real or fake just by looking at its stamped hallmarks.
I advise you test your silver for authenticity and the good news is that you can do it at home. Testing silver at home with an eraser is easy and free to do, and the results are fairly accurate.
Silver Hallmarks: What Do These Stamps Mean? Conclusion
Silver hallmarks are stamped markings on silver items indicating purity, maker, assay office, and sometimes manufacture date. They serve as quality guarantees and authentication tools.
Not all silver has hallmarks – bullion often lacks them, and jewelry requirements vary by country. Common purity marks include 999 (99.9% pure fine silver), 958 (Britannia silver), 925 (sterling silver), and lower grades like 900, 875, and 800.
The Winged Unicorn mark identifies Argentium Silver, a modern alloy with germanium. However, hallmarks alone don’t guarantee authenticity since counterfeiters can fake stamps, so additional testing methods are recommended for verification.
References:
- An Introduction To Silver Markings and Terminology- https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/silver-marks-and-terms-149394
- Silver Hallmarks- https://www.bullionbypost.co.uk/index/silver/silver-hallmarks/
- Silver Hallmarks- https://www.antiquestradegazette.com/guides/information-guides/hallmarks/
- What are these Silver Marks?- https://www.reddit.com/r/Silverbugs/comments/163iv6u/what_are_these_silver_marks/
- How to identify Silver Marks- https://huntvintage.co/blog/how-to-identify-silver-marks
Nikola Roza
Nikola Roza is a blogger behind Nikola Roza- SEO for the Poor and Determined. He writes for bloggers who don't have huge marketing budget but still want to succeed. Nikola is passionate about precious metals IRAs and how to invest in gold and silver for a safer financial future. Learn about Nikola here.
