![]() ![]() Silver hallmarks have been used in the UK for centuries. They are legal stamps, that prove the metal has been tested and is of the quality stated. Silver hallmarks are applied by independent officials, known as assayers, who guarantee the metal content of an item on behalf of a country’s government. ![]() In reality however, unscrupulous jewellers and metalsmiths have attempted to create fakes, or fraudulently claim higher metal content than actually used in order to make more money. In an ideal world, consumers could trust each manufacturer’s word regarding what amount of what metal was contained in an item. The age and design are less consequential than the metal content. The amount of silver that was used in manufacturing will be the driving force behind the value of the item for most buyers of scrap metal. Image courtesy of Wikimedia & Creative Commons license. Because of this, silver is usually mixed with other metals to form a more useful alloy one that is more durable, and less likely to tarnish.Īntique silver items with hallmark stamps. Pure silver will also tarnish over time, reacting to sulphur in the air. Jewellery especially would become easily scratched and misshapen if made from pure silver. Silver – like gold – is soft when in its pure form, and would be unsuitable for many items. Silver hallmarks are particularly likely to be found on silver jewellery and antique silver items (such as cutlery). They identify the main metal, and how much of it can be found, in a number of items. These include gold, silver, platinum and palladium. Hallmarks are legal stamps, applied to items manufactured from a number of precious metals. Silver hallmarks are a key part of determining the purity of an item purporting to be made from silver. ![]()
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