Identification guide
Edinburgh silver date marks
In Edinburgh silver date marks, the castle is the office mark. A Scottish thistle or lion standard device has a different role from the town device.
Reading the Edinburgh group
The castle is the office mark. A Scottish thistle or lion standard device has a different role from the town device. 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.
Shared UK sequence, 1975–2024
| Uppercase letter | Year | Lowercase letter | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1975 | a | 2000 |
| B | 1976 | b | 2001 |
| C | 1977 | c | 2002 |
| D | 1978 | d | 2003 |
| E | 1979 | e | 2004 |
| F | 1980 | f | 2005 |
| G | 1981 | g | 2006 |
| H | 1982 | h | 2007 |
| I | 1983 | i | 2008 |
| K | 1984 | k | 2009 |
| L | 1985 | l | 2010 |
| M | 1986 | m | 2011 |
| N | 1987 | n | 2012 |
| O | 1988 | o | 2013 |
| P | 1989 | p | 2014 |
| Q | 1990 | q | 2015 |
| R | 1991 | r | 2016 |
| S | 1992 | s | 2017 |
| T | 1993 | t | 2018 |
| U | 1994 | u | 2019 |
| V | 1995 | v | 2020 |
| W | 1996 | w | 2021 |
| X | 1997 | x | 2022 |
| Y | 1998 | y | 2023 |
| Z | 1999 | z | 2024 |
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.
Related marks
914 marksJames Dixon & SonsMaker name
Undated
James Dixon & Sons
Seen on objects dated (registered c1971; lapsed 1975).
silver
Cornish Place, Sheffield
Garrard & Co LtdMaker name
Harrods LtdMaker name
J MMaker name
EAOMark wording
J RMaker name
EAOMark wording
Undated
J B
Seen on objects dated 1977 (registered c1976).
silver
"Unidentified" by Edinburgh Assay Office Marks Archive
EAOMark wording
Undated
J C
Seen on objects dated 1893.
silver
"Unknown" to Edinburgh Assay Office Marks Archive but probably J Crichton & Co
Northern Goldsmiths CoMaker name
EAOMark wording
Undated
J D
Seen on objects dated 1836.
silver
Listed by Edinburgh Assay Office Marks Archive as "unidentified"
J LMaker name
P MMaker name
Undated
P M
Seen on objects dated 1779–1786.
silver
A similar mark used by Peter Mathie (working c1774-1820) but with no central pellet/mark
TPBMark wording
Undated
Francis Howard
Seen on objects dated 1956–2015.
silver
Aberdeen Works, Trafalgar Street, Sheffield Web site Frank Hawker Ltd 1971 (registered Mar 1970) Dish Spencer Street, Birmingham Felling Heworth Modern School 1966 (registered Nov 1963) Creamer, sucrier Registered by Thomas Patterson Burlison (see his mark at " "), Head of Craft Department, Felling Heworth Modern School, Gateshead
I CMaker name
I LMaker name
J FMaker name
J PMaker name
James SwannMaker name
PsMaker name
Undated
Ps
Seen on objects dated 2004.
silver
A fake mark associated with forged hallmarks - confirmed by Edinburgh Assay Office
J aMaker name
J B Chatterley & Sons LtdMaker name
Explore makers & marks
Links of LondonJames Dixon & SonsGarrard & Co LtdHarrods LtdJ MJ SJ RHamilton & InchesJ BJ CNorthern Goldsmiths CoJ DJ LP MFrancis HowardI CI LJ FJ PJames SwannPsJ aJ B Chatterley & Sons LtdJames Howden & CoJohn Thompson & SonsP GPayne & SonI NJ NJ W Kirwan & Co (John William Kirwan)John ZeiglerL BP HS SStockwell & Co (George Stockwell)Alexander HendersonG & CG CGeorge David RattrayJ EJ R & SJabeh Investment Co LtdJack Spencer (Silversmith) LtdJames Ness & SonPP CPadgett & BrahamPeter Kelvin JenkinsS WAlexander Kirkwood & SonFenton, Russell & Co LtdFrank Finley ClarksonG PGeorg Jensen LtdGeorge & John MorganGeorge & Michael CrichtonHHamilton, Crichton & CoHenry Tatton (from 1929) Henry Tatton & Son (from 1936) Henry Tatton & Son LtdI aI PJ McJ McKJames & Walter MarshallJames CrichtonJames HewittJames NasmythJohn Bartleman & SonJohn CrichtonJohn H LunnJohn SutterJoseph Gloster LtdK HKeswick School of Industrial ArtsL LLatimer & SonsMitchell & RussellP Cunningham & CoP J CPatrick RobertsonPerry Greaves LtdPeter John Doherty PJD Silver Ltd (from 1995)Pobjoy Mint LtdS aShetland Silvercraft (now known as Shetland Jewellery)Shipton & CoSussex Goldsmiths & Silversmiths Co Ltd? GrantA & G CairncrossAdam Elder or Alexander Edmondston IIIDust Jewellery LtdF W BFinlay & FieldFrancis HowdenFrank Hawker LtdGems of the World