Silver Hallmark IdentifierSilver Hallmark Identifier · Updated October 2, 2026
Sterling Silver Marks and Numbers: 800, 925, 958 & 999
Start by separating the number that describes silver purity from letters and symbols that describe something else. “925” is a purity clue; a nearby letter is not automatically a date.
Common numerical silver grades
| Number | Silver content | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| 800 | 80% | 800 parts silver per 1,000 parts alloy |
| 925 | 92.5% | Sterling silver |
| 958 | 95.8% | Britannia silver standard |
| 999 | 99.9% | Fine silver |
These are readings of fineness numbers, not evidence that a particular object has been tested. Confirm which marking system applies before interpreting an unfamiliar stamp.
A number and a symbol can convey related information
The walking lion, called the lion passant, is a traditional sterling fineness symbol in UK hallmarking. The Britannia figure relates to the higher Britannia standard. Sheffield Assay Office explains that traditional symbols are additional, voluntary marks in the current UK system. Their absence is not enough to reject a modern hallmark.
Letters need context
Initials may relate to the person or company that submitted an object for hallmarking. A date letter must be matched using its font, case and surrounding shield as well as the assay office and period. Copying only the letter into a search loses important evidence.
Try this reading sequence
- Write down every visible stamp in order, including any frame around it.
- Group clear fineness numbers separately from initials and pictorial symbols.
- Identify the marking tradition using the whole group, not a single familiar-looking shape.
- Compare with an official reference. Leave an unclear or worn mark unresolved until you have a better image.
Silver plate needs a different reading
A plated object has silver over another material. Do not enter the full weight of silver-plated flatware into a solid-silver calculator. The thin coating cannot be valued as though the whole object were sterling. If a seller describes an item as sterling, ask how that description was established.
For a close view of the marks, follow the photography and identification guide. For a 925 stamp specifically, read what 925 means.
References
Sheffield Assay Office: UK hallmarks; British Hallmarking Council: silver standards.