The Coronation of King Charles III: Striking the First Commemorative Hallmark
Published: 22nd March 2023
Back in January 2023, a commemorative hallmark was approved to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III. This special mark is now available here at Sheffield Assay Office and we are delighted to see many of our registered customers jumping at the chance to utilise this time-limited mark.
Here is one of the first articles to be marked from William Yates, a sterling silver cuff link bearing the commemorative hallmark in the centre.
The commemorative mark is based on a medal by Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS and using artwork supplied by Thomas Fattorini, the mark depicts the King’s head against an oval background. It can be applied to gold, silver, platinum or palladium items, by any of the four UK assay offices.
If you are interested in having this mark applied, punches are available in sizes 1mm to 6mm and the minimum size will be 1mm for punches, and 0.75mm for laser. The King’s Coronation Mark can be placed anywhere viable on the item being hallmarked, not necessarily next to the statutory hallmark, and can differ in size from the compulsory component marks. It can be made as large as is practically possible on the item being submitted.
The King’s Coronation Mark can be used with or without the current Date Letter mark and the cost of applying the mark in a standard size will be £1, in addition to the standard hallmarking charges. Laser and feature commemorative marks may be subject to additional charges.
A spokesperson for the Assay Offices of the UK said “The UK Assay Offices have a long tradition of capturing special events with the creation of commemorative hallmarks. The special mark provides an additional narrative for products carrying the mark. Equally importantly, it brings the importance of the hallmark into focus with the jewellery-buying consumer.”
Jewellers, silversmiths and retailers can request the mark from Sheffield Assay Office throughout 2023 until the end of 2024.
The Sheffield Assay Office was established in 1773, under an Act of Parliament and today the company assays and hallmarks the precious metals - silver, gold, platinum and palladium. Sheffield Assay Office is one of only four UK assay offices who all work to uphold the Hallmarking Act of 1973 and continue to ensure consumer protection for customers purchasing precious metals.
To find out more about the whole range of services offered by Sheffield Assay Office, such as our hallmarking and analytical services, please email us at info@assayoffice.co.uk or complete the contact form on our website at http://www.assayoffice.co.uk/contact-us,
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