Edinburgh Date Letters
Edinburgh date letters from 1705 to 1882. Type the letter on your piece to see every year it could be, then match its shape and shield in the tables.
1705 to 1730
No J. M (1716-17), N (1717-18) and P (1719-20) also found double-struck.
- A1705-06
- B1706-07
- C1707-08
- D1708-09
- E1709-10
- F1710-11
- G1711-12
- H1712-13
- I1713-14
- K1714-15
- L1715-16
- M1716-17
- N1717-18
- O1718-19
- P1719-20
- Q1720-21
- R1721-22
- S1722-23
- T1723-24
- U1724-25
- V1725-26
- W1726-27
- X1727-28
- Y1728-29
- Z1729-30
1730 to 1755
Script capitals, no J.
- A1730-31
- B1731-32
- C1732-33
- D1733-34
- E1734-35
- F1735-36
- G1736-37
- H1737-38
- I1738-39
- K1739-40
- L1740-41
- M1741-42
- N1742-43
- O1743-44
- P1744-45
- Q1745-46
- R1746-47
- S1747-48
- T1748-49
- U1749-50
- V1750-51
- W1751-52
- X1752-53
- Y1753-54
- Z1754-55
1755 to 1780
Old English capitals. No W. The 1763-64 letter is an Old English I (often printed J). 1779-80 uses a second Old English V/U form, distinct from 1775-76.
- A1755-56
- B1756-57
- C1757-58
- D1758-59
- E1759-60
- F1760-61
- G1761-62
- H1762-63
- I1763-64
- K1764-65
- L1765-66
- M1766-67
- N1767-68
- O1768-69
- P1769-70
- Q1770-71
- R1771-72
- S1772-73
- T1773-74
- U1774-75
- V1775-76
- X1776-77
- Y1777-78
- Z1778-79
- V1779-80
1780 to 1806
G used for two years (1786-88). I then J both used in 1789-90.
- A1780-81
- B1781-82
- C1782-83
- D1783-84
- E1784-85
- F1785-86
- G1786-88
- H1788-89
- I1789-90 (first part)
- J1789-90 (to Sept 1790)
- K1790-91
- L1791-92
- M1792-93
- N1793-94
- O1794-95
- P1795-96
- Q1796-97
- R1797-98
- S1798-99
- T1799-1800
- U1800-01
- V1801-02
- W1802-03
- X1803-04
- Y1804-05
- Z1805-06
1806 to 1832
Full 26 letters (i 1814-15, j 1815-16).
- a1806-07
- b1807-08
- c1808-09
- d1809-10
- e1810-11
- f1811-12
- g1812-13
- h1813-14
- i1814-15
- j1815-16
- k1816-17
- l1817-18
- m1818-19
- n1819-20
- o1820-21
- p1821-22
- q1822-23
- r1823-24
- s1824-25
- t1825-26
- u1826-27
- v1827-28
- w1828-29
- x1829-30
- y1830-31
- z1831-32
1832 to 1857
Old English capitals; J (not I) for 1840-41.
- A1832-33
- B1833-34
- C1834-35
- D1835-36
- E1836-37
- F1837-38
- G1838-39
- H1839-40
- J1840-41
- K1841-42
- L1842-43
- M1843-44
- N1844-45
- O1845-46
- P1846-47
- Q1847-48
- R1848-49
- S1849-50
- T1850-51
- U1851-52
- V1852-53
- W1853-54
- X1854-55
- Y1855-56
- Z1856-57
1857 to 1882
No J.
- A1857-58
- B1858-59
- C1859-60
- D1860-61
- E1861-62
- F1862-63
- G1863-64
- H1864-65
- I1865-66
- K1866-67
- L1867-68
- M1868-69
- N1869-70
- O1870-71
- P1871-72
- Q1872-73
- R1873-74
- S1874-75
- T1875-76
- U1876-77
- V1877-78
- W1878-79
- X1879-80
- Y1880-81
- Z1881-82
How to read a Edinburgh hallmark
- CastleThe Edinburgh town mark: a three-towered castle.
- ThistleThe standard mark from 1759, replaced by the lion rampant in 1975.
- Date letterOne letter for each assay year (change day at Edinburgh: Michaelmas (September/October) until 1974). Its case, letter style and shield all matter.
- Maker's markThe initials of the maker or sponsor.
Marks recorded on Edinburgh silver
1705Recorded on Edinburgh silver
1709-10Recorded on Edinburgh silver
1742Recorded on Edinburgh silver
1758-65Recorded on Edinburgh silver
1764Recorded on Edinburgh silver
1776Recorded on Edinburgh silver
1777-90Recorded on Edinburgh silver
1785-95Recorded on Edinburgh silver
Marks reproduced from Jackson, English Goldsmiths and their Marks (1921), one from each period. Date letters checked against Jackson, English Goldsmiths and their Marks (1921), and the assay office records.
Selling Edinburgh silver?
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Related
- The Edinburgh Assay Office guide
- British silver hallmarks
- The UK assay offices
- London date letters, every cycle
- Sheffield date letters, every cycle
- Birmingham date letters, every cycle
- Chester date letters, every cycle
- Dublin date letters, every cycle
- Exeter date letters, every cycle
- Newcastle date letters, every cycle
- Sell your silver