Hallmarking Act 1973

Section 4.

SCHEDULE 2 U.K. Approved Hallmarks

[F1 PART I U.K. ARTICLES COMPRISED OF A SINGLE PRECIOUS METAL

Textual Amendments

F1 Sch. 2 Pt. I substituted (1.1.1999) by S.I. 1998/2978, reg. 2(15).

F2 1 U.K. Assay office mark

Assay office	Assay office mark
(1)	(2)
London...	A leopard’s head
Edinburgh...	A castle
Birmingham...	An anchor
Sheffield...	A rose

Textual Amendments

F2 Sch. 2 Pt. I substituted (1.1.1999) by S.I. 1998/2978, reg. 2(15).

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Sch. 2 Pt. 1 para. 1 modified (1.4.2002) by The Hallmarking (International Convention) Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/506), art. 6(3)

2 U.K. Standard mark

Precious metal	Standard of fineness	Standard mark
(1)	(2)	(3)
Gold	375	The figures 375
Gold	585	The figures 585
Gold	750	The figures 750
Gold	916.6	The figures 916
Gold	990	The figures 990
Gold	999	The figures 999
Silver	800	The figures 800
Silver	925	The figures 925
Silver	958.4	The figures 958
Silver	999	The figures 999
Platinum	850	The figures 850
Platinum	900	The figures 900
Platinum	950	The figures 950
Platinum	999	The figures 999
[F3 Palladium	500	The figures 500
Palladium	950	The figures 950
Palladium	999	The figures 999]

Textual Amendments

F3 Words in Sch. 2 Pt. 1 para. 2 inserted (22.7.2009) by Hallmarking Act 1973 (Application to Palladium) Order 2009 (S.I. 2009/2040), art. 1, Sch. para. 7(2)

3 U.K. Optional pictorial mark

Precious metal	Standard of fineness	Pictorial mark
(1)	(2)	(3)
Gold	375	A crown
Gold	585	A crown
Gold	750	A crown
Gold	916.6	A crown
Gold	990	A crown
Gold	999	A crown
Silver	925	A lion passant. In the case of an article struck by the Edinburgh Assay Office, the reference to a lion passant shall be treated as a reference to a lion rampant.
Silver	958.4	The figure of Britannia or a lion passant. In the case of an article struck by the Edinburgh Assay Office, the reference to a lion passant shall be treated as a reference to a lion rampant.
Silver	999	The figure of Britannia or a lion passant. In the case of an article struck by the Edinburgh Assay Office, the reference to a lion passant shall be treated as a reference to a lion rampant.
Platinum	950	An orb surmounted by a cross
Platinum	999	An orb surmounted by a cross
[F4 Palladium	500	The head of Pallas Athene
Palladium	950	The head of Pallas Athene
Palladium	999	The head of Pallas Athene]

Textual Amendments

F4 Words in Sch. 2 Pt. 1 para. 3 inserted (22.7.2009) by Hallmarking Act 1973 (Application to Palladium) Order 2009 (S.I. 2009/2040), art. 1, Sch. para. 7(3)

F5 4 U.K. Optional date letter

Such distinct variable letter of the alphabet to denote the year in which the article is marked as may be for the time being directed in writing by the Council.

Textual Amendments

F5 Sch. 2 Pt. I substituted (1.1.1999) by S.I. 1998/2978, reg. 2(15).

F6 5 U.K. Optional additional mark

Such mark (if any) as may be for the time being directed in writing by the Council.]]

Textual Amendments

F6 Sch. 2 Pt. I substituted (1.1.1999) by S.I. 1998/2978, reg. 2(15).

[F7 PART 2 U.K. ARTICLES COMPRISED OF TWO OR MORE PRECIOUS METALS

Textual Amendments

F7 Sch. 2 Pts. 2, 3 substituted (6.4.2007) by The Hallmarking Act 1973 (Amendment) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/872), reg. 2(6), Sch.

6 U.K. An article comprised of two or more precious metals shall not be hallmarked unless, upon assay, each precious metal is of a standard of fineness not less than the minimum fineness for that precious metal.

7 U.K. The article shall be struck with—

(a) the assay office mark, and

(b) the appropriate standard mark for each precious metal.

8 (1) The person who submits the article to an assay office may request the assay office to strike the marks mentioned in paragraph 7 on a particular precious metal part. U.K.

(2) The assay office must comply with such a request unless they think that, in consequence of doing so, it would not be clear which part of the article is made of which precious metal.

9 (1) This paragraph applies if— U.K.

(a) an assay office have refused to hallmark an article in accordance with a request under paragraph 8(1), and

(b) the person making the request refers the matter in writing to the Council.

(2) The Council may direct the assay office to comply with the request.

(3) The assay office must comply with the direction.

10 (1) This paragraph applies to the striking of hallmarks other than in accordance with a request under paragraph 8. U.K.

(2) Each standard mark must be struck on the precious metal part to which it relates.

(3) The assay office mark must be struck together with the standard mark for the least precious metal.

(4) If it is not practical to strike the marks in accordance with sub-paragraphs (2) and (3) they must be struck as follows—

(a) they must be struck together on the least precious metal part,

(b) if sub-paragraph (a) is not practical, they must be struck together on another precious metal part, or

(c) if neither sub-paragraph (a) nor (b) is practical, the assay office mark and the standard mark for the least precious metal must be struck on the least precious metal part and all other hallmarks must be omitted.

11 (1) If the person who submits the article to the assay office so requests, the assay office must, if it is practical to do so— U.K.

(a) strike the marks set out in section 4(1)(a)(iii) for the least precious metal part, and

(b) strike the marks set out in section 4(1)(a)(iv) and (v).

(2) The absence of an approved hallmark as mentioned in sub-paragraph (1) does not render the article unhallmarked for the purposes of this Act.

12 U.K. Any small working parts contained within an article which for technical reasons are of a lower standard of fineness or of a less precious metal than the remainder of the article shall, if it is practicable to strike a mark on those parts, be struck with the standard mark only but shall otherwise be ignored for the purpose of determining which hallmarks are to be struck on the remainder of the article.

13 U.K. Where any article of gold, silver [F8 , platinum or palladium] is coated in whole or in part with rhodium the rhodium shall be ignored for the purpose of determining which hallmarks are to be struck.

Textual Amendments

F8 Words in Sch. 2 para. 13 substituted (22.7.2009) by Hallmarking Act 1973 (Application to Palladium) Order 2009 (S.I. 2009/2040), art. 1, Sch. para. 7(4)

14 U.K. Where any article of silver [F9 , platinum or palladium] is coated in whole or in part with gold the gold coating shall be ignored for the purpose of determining which hallmarks are to be struck.

Textual Amendments

F9 Words in Sch. 2 para. 14 substituted (22.7.2009) by Hallmarking Act 1973 (Application to Palladium) Order 2009 (S.I. 2009/2040), art. 1, Sch. para. 7(5)

15 U.K. For the purposes of this Part and Part 3—

[F10 (a) the ranking of precious metals (with platinum being the most precious and silver the least precious) is—

• platinum

• gold

• palladium

• silver,

and “least precious” and “less precious” shall be construed accordingly,]

(b) “assay office mark” means the mark determined in accordance with section 4(1)(a)(i), and

(c) “standard mark” means the mark determined in accordance with section 4(1)(a)(ii) as if the precious metal part comprised a single article.]

Textual Amendments

F10 Sch. 2 Pt. 2 para. 15(a) substituted (22.7.2009) by Hallmarking Act 1973 (Application to Palladium) Order 2009 (S.I. 2009/2040), art. 1, Sch. para. 7(6)

[F7 PART 3 U.K. ARTICLES COMPRISED OF PRECIOUS METAL PARTS AND OTHER MATERIALS

16 (1) A mixed material article shall not be hallmarked unless, upon assay, each precious metal is of a standard of fineness not less than the minimum fineness for that precious metal and sub-paragraph (2) or (3) applies. U.K.

(2) If the article includes base metal the base metal part must be clearly distinguishable in appearance (either by the colour of that part or by having struck on it the name of that metal, or the word “metal”, in a manner which complies with any regulations made by the Council) from any precious metal.

(3) If the article does not include base metal the condition in sub-paragraph (4) or (5) must apply.

(4) The condition in this sub-paragraph is that—

(a) the other materials must be clearly distinguishable from any precious metal part,

(b) they must not be plated so as to resemble any precious metal or be of a colour which resembles any precious metal,

(c) their extent must be clearly visible, and

(d) the precious metal part must be of a thickness of not less than 100 micrometres.

(5) The condition in this sub-paragraph is that in respect of any article in which the other materials are wholly or mainly enclosed by precious metal—

(a) the article has been so manufactured as to be capable of being hallmarked before it is filled, and

(b) there has been struck on the article the word “filled” in a manner which complies with any regulations made by the Council.

(6) Paragraph (b) of sub-paragraph (5) does not apply in the case of the handle to a knife, fork or spoon if the quantity of filling in the handle is not more than is necessary for joining.

17 U.K. A mixed material article with only a single precious metal part shall be hallmarked on the precious metal part as if it were a separate article.

18 U.K. A mixed material article comprised of two or more precious metal parts shall be hallmarked on a precious metal part in accordance with Part 2.

19 U.K. For the purposes of this Part—

(a) “base metal” means any metal other than gold, silver [F11 , platinum or palladium], and

(b) “mixed material article” means an article comprised of one or more precious metal parts and one or more other materials.]

Textual Amendments

F11 Words in Sch. 2 Pt. 3 para. 19(a) substituted (22.7.2009) by Hallmarking Act 1973 (Application to Palladium) Order 2009 (S.I. 2009/2040), art. 1, Sch. para. 7(7)

Part IV U.K. General

[F12 20] U.K. Each of the marks comprising the approved hallmarks shall be enclosed by such shield or other border as the Council may (if they see fit) for the time being specify by directions to the assay offices.

Textual Amendments

F12 Sch. 2 Pt. 4: para. 7 renumbered (6.4.2007) as para. 20 by The Hallmarking Act 1973 (Amendment) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/872), reg. 2(7)