Silver Purity Marks Explained
925 = sterling silver (92.5% pure). 950 = Britannia silver (95% pure). 800 = continental silver (80% pure). British hallmarks include the assay office mark (e.g. London leopard’s head, Birmingham anchor, Sheffield rose, Edinburgh castle), a metal/fineness mark (e.g. 925 or lion passant), and a sponsor’s/maker’s mark. A date letter (optional since 1999) shows the year of assay—each office uses a letter that changes annually; full date letter tables are available on specialist sites.
Common marks:
- 925, Sterling, lion passant = sterling silver. 950, Britannia figure = Britannia silver.
- EPNS, EPBM, A1 = silver plated, not solid silver.
- UK compulsory marks: assay office, numerical fineness (or traditional fineness mark), sponsor’s/maker’s mark. Date letter and lion passant have been optional since 1 January 1999.
- To date British silver: identify the assay office from the town mark, then look up the date letter in that office’s cycle. Date letters change each year; font and shield shape change each cycle to avoid repetition.
- We pay £1.12–£1.30 per gram for sterling (925). Get a free valuation for hallmarked or unmarked silver.
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What Are Silver Purity Marks? (925, 950, 800)
Silver purity marks (fineness marks) show how much pure silver is in the item, usually in parts per thousand. The most common in the UK and internationally are:
Sterling silver
92.5% pure silver, 7.5% other metals (usually copper). Standard for UK jewellery, flatware, and tableware. Also marked Sterling, STG, or lion passant.
Britannia silver
95% pure silver. UK Britannia standard; often marked with the Britannia figure. Slightly higher value per gram than 925.
Continental silver
80% pure silver. Common on European tableware and older German/Italian pieces. Lower value per gram than 925/950.
Fine silver
99.9% pure silver. Too soft for most jewellery; used in bullion and some specialist pieces.
British Hallmark Components
A full British hallmark has at least three compulsory elements (since 1999): the assay office mark, a numerical fineness mark (e.g. 925), and the sponsor’s or maker’s mark. Traditionally, the lion passant (English sterling) or Britannia (950) and a date letter were also used; both are now optional.
- Sponsor’s/maker’s mark – Identifies who submitted the item (usually initials in a shield).
- Metal and fineness mark – Purity: 925, 950, or the traditional lion passant (sterling) / Britannia figure (950).
- Assay office mark – Which UK office tested the item (London, Birmingham, Sheffield, Edinburgh—see below).
- Date letter (optional) – Indicates the year of assay; font and shield shape change each cycle so the same letter can be identified to a specific year.
How to Date British Silver: Date Letters
British and Irish assay offices use a date letter to show the year an item was hallmarked. Each office has its own sequence: the letter (and sometimes style of letter or shield) changes every year, so once you know the office you can look up the year in that office’s date-letter table.
London introduced date letters in 1477; they originally changed on the day the Guild wardens were elected (St Dunstan’s Day, 19 May) until the Restoration, then 29 May. From 1975, all British assay offices have changed their date letter on 1 January each year. Since 1 January 1999 the date letter and the traditional fineness mark (e.g. lion passant) have been optional; the compulsory marks are the assay office mark, numerical fineness, and sponsor’s mark.
Where to look up date letters
To date your silver: (1) identify the assay office from the town mark (e.g. leopard’s head = London, anchor = Birmingham, rose = Sheffield, castle = Edinburgh). (2) Find the date letter on the item. (3) Use a date letter table for that office to match the letter (and shield style if applicable) to the year.
For comprehensive date letter tables by assay office (London, Birmingham, Sheffield, Edinburgh, Chester, Dublin, Exeter, Glasgow, Newcastle, York), see Silver Makers’ Marks – Silver Date Marks. We do not reproduce their tables here; we recommend using that resource or the assay offices’ own guides for exact year identification.
UK Assay Offices: Interactive Guide
Each assay office has a distinct town mark. The four current UK offices are London, Birmingham, Sheffield, and Edinburgh. Historic offices (no longer assaying) include Chester, Dublin, Exeter, Glasgow, Newcastle, and York. Click through to view date letter tables for each office on an external resource.
Fineness Marks at a Glance
Click a mark to see a short description. These are the marks we see most often when valuing silver.
Silver Plated vs Solid Silver Marks
Plated items have a thin layer of silver over a base metal and are not solid silver. They have much lower scrap value. Look for these marks:
Electroplated Nickel Silver
Electroplated Britannia Metal
Quality grade (plated)
Thin silver coating
At wear points, plated items often show base metal (yellow or grey). Solid 925 or 950 stays the same colour throughout. See how to tell if silver is real.
925 vs 950 vs 800: Comparison
| Mark | Purity | Other names | Typical use | Value per gram (approx) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 925 | 92.5% | Sterling | Jewellery, flatware, tableware | £1.12–£1.30 |
| 950 | 95% | Britannia | Higher-grade pieces | Slightly higher |
| 800 | 80% | Continental | European tableware | Lower than 925 |
Prices are indicative; we pay £1.12–£1.30 per gram for sterling. Antique or collectable value can add to scrap.
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Send photos of your hallmarks and items for a no-obligation offer. We value 925, 950, 800, and antique silver.
Frequently Asked Questions
925 means sterling silver: 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metals (usually copper). It’s the standard for UK jewellery, cutlery, and tableware.
Yes. 950 is 95% pure silver (Britannia silver in the UK). It contains more silver per gram than 925.
Yes. 800 silver is 80% pure and has scrap value; it’s worth less per gram than 925 or 950. Heavier items can still be valuable.
Sterling is marked 925, Sterling, or lion passant. Plated is marked EPNS, EPBM, A1, or “Silver Plated”. At wear points, plated shows base metal.
EPNS = Electroplated Nickel Silver. A thin silver layer over base metal. Not solid silver; minimal scrap value.
Identify the assay office (e.g. London leopard’s head, Birmingham anchor), then find the date letter on the item. Use a date letter table for that office (e.g. silvermakersmarks.co.uk) to find the year. Date letters have been optional since 1999.
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