Sterling silver hallmark
Silver sold in the UK must carry a hallmark. These are marks applied at one of the four UK assay offices, London, Birmingham, Sheffield and Edinburgh. British hallmark laws represented the first consumer protection legislation and date back to the year 1300.
The marks above (left to right) represent:
- BT - sponsor's mark for Barry Thomas (first registered in London in 1978)
- 925 - parts per thousand silver (sterling silver)
- Anchor - the town mark for Birmingham
- Lion passant - former indication of sterling silver (optional)
- C - the date letter for 2002 (optional)
- Jubilee mark (optional). This mark commemorated HM The Queen's Golden Jubilee year, 2002.
Large work - teapots, coffee pots, and all kinds of table ware - traditionally have a large hallmark (3 - 4 millimetres high). The marks can be placed underneath where they are not immediately visible, or on the front or top of a piece where they can be seen and admired.
If you want to look up an old hallmark, there are a few pocket guides to old marks such as this one.