BIRMINGHAM, England (1773 - Present)

THE BIRMINGHAM ASSAY OFFICE

Birmingham Assay Office
PO Box 151
Newhall St
Birmingham B3 1SB
Telephone 0121 236 6951
info@theassayoffice.co.uk

Assay marking began in Birmingham in 1773. The date letter, which followed a 25 year cycle, was changed in July until 1975 when it (along with all other British date letter sequences) changed in January. The Britannia figure was used in silver of 95.84% purity.

Birmingham gained the right to assay gold and silver articles with the establishment of the Birmingham Assay Office in 1773. The Assay Office was established largely due to the efforts of Matthew Boulton.

There is a story that when the manufacturers of Birmingham and Sheffield (established at the same time) were in London lobbying Parliament for the institution of Assay Offices, they stayed at an inn in the Strand called the "Crown and Anchor". Thinking that these two symbols would make good hallmarks, they decided to toss a coin to see which town would get which mark.

TABLE OF BIRMINGHAM DATE LETTERS • 1773 - 2009