✅ SOLVED Birmingham 1864. Thanks to Pepperj

Merf

Silver Member
Jan 7, 2007
3,726
1,894
Northern Illinois
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Minelab vanquish, Quest x10 pro, Quest x10 idmaXx
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Fond this today at the same site as the wax seal and the fatty. I don’t recognize the markings.
 

Looks like old UK gold to me. Sounds like you found a good area to find even more lost treasures.
 

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GREAT find :) CONGRATS
 

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Thanks Pepperj. Your info is top knotch.
A footnote.
More I from the web. It might be 1838 since there is no carat specified.
The lion passant was the fineness mark used on 22 carat gold from 1544 until 1844.

The problem here is the year because the 18 carat standard was introduced in 1798 and it was marked with a crown and the number 18.

After 1844 both standards were marked with a crown and either the number 22 or
 

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A footnote.
More I from the web. It might be 1838 since there is no carat specified.
The lion passant was the fineness mark used on 22 carat gold from 1544 until 1844.

The problem here is the year because the 18 carat standard was introduced in 1798 and it was marked with a crown and the number 18.

After 1844 both standards were marked with a crown and either the number 22 or
Another footnote. It gets confusing.

MORE ABOUT DATE MARKS - HERE'S A LESSER KNOWN FACT!​

Here's an interesting fact about dating your piece of antique jewelry (or anything with an antique British Hallmark). The cartouche or background for the date letter are pertinent for silver. When it comes to looking up the hallmarks on gold, the most important thing to match is the letter (as mentioned) and the style of the letter. Is it capitalized or lower case? Look at every little curve and angle. Here's what the Assay Office says "It is the letter font that will give you the correct date not the outline design." This may seem like a small detail, but I am guessing that it has led a number of people astray.
 

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I cleaned up, polished, and rounded the ring. Came out pretty good.
Got this reply about the hallmark from the Birmingham assay office today.

22t gold didn't have a hallmark until 1844, so before this date it was marked in the same way as sterling silver.



The hallmark reads:- Maker's mark 'WE' 22ct gold (lion passant); Birmingham; date letter gothic 'p' for 1838-39; duty mark (to show duty had been paid).
 

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