Newcastle Date Letters

Newcastle date letters from 1721 to 1884, when the assay office closed. Type the letter on your piece to see every year it could be, then match its shape and shield in the tables.

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1721 to 1740

Old English (black-letter) capitals · shield

Old English capitals A to T, no J.

  1. A1721-22
  2. B1722-23
  3. C1723-24
  4. D1724-25
  5. E1725-26
  6. F1726-27
  7. G1727-28
  8. H1728-29
  9. I1729-30
  10. K1730-31
  11. L1731-32
  12. M1732-33
  13. N1733-34
  14. O1734-35
  15. P1735-36
  16. Q1736-37
  17. R1737-38
  18. S1738-39
  19. T1739-40

1740 to 1759

Roman capitals · shield

Roman capitals A to S. Jackson also lists T for 1758-59 without an example (not in silvermakersmarks.co.uk), so it is left out.

  1. A1740-41
  2. B1741-42
  3. C1742-43
  4. D1743-44
  5. E1744-45
  6. F1745-46
  7. G1746-47
  8. H1747-48
  9. I1748-49
  10. K1749-50
  11. L1750-51
  12. M1751-52
  13. N1752-53
  14. O1753-54
  15. P1754-55
  16. Q1755-56
  17. R1756-57
  18. S1757-58

1759 to 1791

Script capitals · shield

B used for nine years (1760-69). Script capitals A to F, Roman from G. No J or V.

  1. A1759-60
  2. B1760-69
  3. C1769-70
  4. D1770-71
  5. E1771-72
  6. F1772-73
  7. G1773-74
  8. H1774-75
  9. I1775-76
  10. K1776-77
  11. L1777-78
  12. M1778-79
  13. N1779-80
  14. O1780-81
  15. P1781-82
  16. Q1782-83
  17. R1783-84
  18. S1784-85
  19. T1785-86
  20. U1786-87
  21. W1787-88
  22. X1788-89
  23. Y1789-90
  24. Z1790-91

1791 to 1815

Roman capitals · shield

No J or V.

  1. A1791-92
  2. B1792-93
  3. C1793-94
  4. D1794-95
  5. E1795-96
  6. F1796-97
  7. G1797-98
  8. H1798-99
  9. I1799-1800
  10. K1800-01
  11. L1801-02
  12. M1802-03
  13. N1803-04
  14. O1804-05
  15. P1805-06
  16. Q1806-07
  17. R1807-08
  18. S1808-09
  19. T1809-10
  20. U1810-11
  21. W1811-12
  22. X1812-13
  23. Y1813-14
  24. Z1814-15

1815 to 1839

Roman capitals · rectangle

No J or V.

  1. A1815-16
  2. B1816-17
  3. C1817-18
  4. D1818-19
  5. E1819-20
  6. F1820-21
  7. G1821-22
  8. H1822-23
  9. I1823-24
  10. K1824-25
  11. L1825-26
  12. M1826-27
  13. N1827-28
  14. O1828-29
  15. P1829-30
  16. Q1830-31
  17. R1831-32
  18. S1832-33
  19. T1833-34
  20. U1834-35
  21. W1835-36
  22. X1836-37
  23. Y1837-38
  24. Z1838-39

1839 to 1864

Roman capitals · rectangle

J used (1848-49), V omitted.

  1. A1839-40
  2. B1840-41
  3. C1841-42
  4. D1842-43
  5. E1843-44
  6. F1844-45
  7. G1845-46
  8. H1846-47
  9. I1847-48
  10. J1848-49
  11. K1849-50
  12. L1850-51
  13. M1851-52
  14. N1852-53
  15. O1853-54
  16. P1854-55
  17. Q1855-56
  18. R1856-57
  19. S1857-58
  20. T1858-59
  21. U1859-60
  22. W1860-61
  23. X1861-62
  24. Y1862-63
  25. Z1863-64

1864 to 1884

Roman small letters · rectangle

No j. Office closed 1884.

  1. a1864-65
  2. b1865-66
  3. c1866-67
  4. d1867-68
  5. e1868-69
  6. f1869-70
  7. g1870-71
  8. h1871-72
  9. i1872-73
  10. k1873-74
  11. l1874-75
  12. m1875-76
  13. n1876-77
  14. o1877-78
  15. p1878-79
  16. q1879-80
  17. r1880-81
  18. s1881-82
  19. t1882-83
  20. u1883-84

How to read a Newcastle hallmark

  • Three castlesThe Newcastle town mark.
  • Date letterOne letter for each assay year (change day at Newcastle: May (in theory); irregular before 1773; office closed 1884). Its case, letter style and shield all matter.
  • Maker's markThe initials of the maker or sponsor.

Marks recorded on Newcastle silver

  • A mark recorded on Newcastle silver of 1724-5, from Jackson (1921)1724-5Recorded on Newcastle silver
  • A mark recorded on Newcastle silver of 1727-8, from Jackson (1921)1727-8Recorded on Newcastle silver
  • A mark recorded on Newcastle silver of 1730, from Jackson (1921)1730Recorded on Newcastle silver
  • A mark recorded on Newcastle silver of 1733-4, from Jackson (1921)1733-4Recorded on Newcastle silver
  • A mark recorded on Newcastle silver of 1737-8, from Jackson (1921)1737-8Recorded on Newcastle silver
  • A mark recorded on Newcastle silver of 1739-40, from Jackson (1921)1739-40Recorded on Newcastle silver
  • A mark recorded on Newcastle silver of 1744-5, from Jackson (1921)1744-5Recorded on Newcastle silver
  • A mark recorded on Newcastle silver of 1748-9, from Jackson (1921)1748-9Recorded on Newcastle 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.

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