Hallmark of quality
Garrard the Queens jewellers, wonderful understated quality.
If you look at the hallmark you will see, 'G&Co Ld' for Garrards, leopards head for Sheffield assay, C the date letter for 1977, and the lion on passant for English sterling silver, and lastly and in this case very importantly the queens head.
On special occasions such as jubilees and millennium, the Queens head is allowed to be added to a hallmark.
Prior to 1890 a monarchs head meant that duty had been paid on the item, this was started by George III in 1784 and abolished by Queen Victoria in 1890.
In summary Monarchs heads on items post 1890 means made for special occasions and prior mean that tax was paid on silver. George III also insisted that all cold over 3 grams (1.87 dwt) had a hallmark, and later was dropped by Victorian to 1 gram (0.625 dwt) and today items over 0.5 g ( 0.31 dwt ) have to be hallmarked. DWT stands for penny weight prior to decimalization there were no grams, and precious metals sold in troy ounces and a troy grams, 31.1g to a troy ounce, whilst a kitchen ounce has 28 grams.
Other marks will be tiny numbers and letter normally scratched into the silver or gold either by pawn brokers or sometimes restorers.
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