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What a hallmark is on jewelry and silver
A hallmark is an official or maker’s stamp that claims fineness and origin. It is a clue. It is not a substitute for a test. Fakes have stamps too.
A hallmark is a stamp that says who made a piece and what fineness it is supposed to be.
Britain built a formal assay-office system (lion passant and the rest). The US is looser: you often see “14K,” “925,” or a maker’s mark, without a government office behind every punch.
What a shop does with a stamp
Looks at it. Then tests anyway. Stamps are copied. Solder is a different karat. A 14K chain can have a steel clasp. Karat vs fineness. Sterling vs plate. European and Mexican silver.
Common marks
- 10K, 14K, 18K, 22K, 24K
- 375, 585, 750, 916, 999 (parts per thousand)
- 925 / STERLING
- 800, 835 (common older European silver)
- GF, HGE, EPNS — not solid. Filled vs plated
No mark
No mark means “test it.” It does not mean fake. Old handmade pieces are often unmarked. It also does not mean gold.
Weigh and test in front of you.
Continue in the coin and money library. Related visitor guides: for shop visitors.
Extra pad history for hallmarks
Britain built a formal assay-office system — lion passant and the rest — so a stamp meant an office had seen the metal. The United States is looser. You often see “14K,” “925,” or a maker’s mark without a government office behind every punch. Europe used .800 and .835 on silver because that was the local standard. Mexico mixed .720 coin, .925 jewelry, and tourist punches. European and Mexican silver.
GF, HGE, EPNS, and year-guarantees on watch cases are not solid. Filled vs plated vs solid. What 1/20 12K GF means if that is the stamp in your hand.
What the shop does with a stamp
Looks at it. Then tests anyway. Stamps are copied. Solder is a different karat. A 14K chain can have a steel clasp. Karat vs fineness. Sterling vs plate if that page is the sister. No mark means “test it.” It does not mean fake. Old handmade pieces are often unmarked. It also does not mean gold.
Weigh and test in front of you. We write the fineness we got, not the fineness the story wanted. US junk silver is .900 through 1964. That is a coin fact, not a jewelry hallmark. Do not add a punch at home. That is how honest metal becomes a problem.
People also ask
Is 925 always sterling? It should mean .925. Fakes punch 925 too. We test.
What does 750 mean? 18k, parts per thousand.
Is no mark a bad sign? It is an unmarked piece. Test it.
Does a lion passant make it more valuable? It tells a British assay story. We still weigh it as silver.