Symbol guide

Birmingham silver hallmarks date letters

Birmingham silver hallmarks date letters are recognised by its assay-office device: anchor. The anchor is the office mark.

Reading the Birmingham group

The anchor is the office mark. Its orientation can vary with the article and period, so do not use orientation alone to assign a date. From 1975 London, Birmingham, Sheffield and Edinburgh use the same sequence; 2025 restarts at A. The letter J is omitted from that modern 25-letter cycle.

What to check next

Compare the letter’s case, exact typeface and shield, not just its alphabetic name. A date letter records the assay year. Use the sponsor’s working dates and the other punches to distinguish repeated letters in older cycles.

Compare the maker’s other marks

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