Symbol guide
Sheffield silver hallmarks date letters
Sheffield silver hallmarks date letters are recognised by its assay-office device: rose, or crown on earlier silver. A date letter records the assay year.
Reading the Sheffield group
The crown-to-rose change helps separate an older letter cycle from the modern shared UK sequence. The maker’s initials remain a separate punch. 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
Links of LondonMappin & Webb LtdJohn Round & Son LtdGoldsmiths & Silversmiths Co LtdGarrard & Co LtdHarrods LtdLevi & SalamanJ MJ SJ RB H Joseph & Co (Barnet Henry Joseph)Henry WilliamsonBravingtons LtdHamilton & InchesBritton, Gould & CoJ LBrook & SonJ R Gaunt & SonKemp BrothersW WB & SBarnett Henry AbrahamsBracelon LtdC HCooper BrothersFrancis HowardGsHenry Wilkinson & CoI LJ PJohn Millward BanksW SCornelius Desormeaux Saunders & James Francis Hollings (Frank) ShepherdFattorini & SonsI DJohn Thompson & SonsP H Vogel & CoPayne & SonPearce & SonPoston Products LtdWilliam Vale & SonsB CBarker Brothers Silver LtdBoodle & DunthorneBrookes & Crookes (John Brookes & Thomas Crookes)C J Vander LtdC W Fletcher & Son Ltd (Charles William Fletcher)Constantine & FloydF BFenton Brothers LtdFinnigans LtdG M & SG W Harvey & CoGibson & Co LtdGilmour & WatsonH Samuel LtdH V Pithey & CoHawksworth, Eyre & Co LtdJames RamsayJay, Richard Attenborough Co LtdJohn SandersonJohn Turton & CoJohn Yeomans CowlishawLee & Wigfull (Henry Wigfull)P HP WPage, Keen & PagePrestons LtdThomas Bradbury and SonsWilliam J Holmes William J Holmes Ltd (after c1938)Z JBerker Brothers LtdBishtons LtdBoardman, Glossop & CoBraybrook & BrittenC CC ECharles S Green & CoCollingwood & CoFrank Cobb & CoFred Manshaw LtdG & CG CG CoG MGeorge David RattrayGeorge Tarratt LtdHamilton & Co (of Calcutta)Hampton UtilitiesHenry Stratford; Henry Stratford LtdHilliard & ThomasonHorton & AlldayJ W Benson LtdJack Spencer (Silversmith) LtdJohn & Thomas Settle, Gunn & CoJohn Newton
