what does this hallmark mean ?

🏰 Britannia Silver: The Crown Jewel of British Silverware

1. What Is Britannia Silver? 2 Assay mark for Dublin 3 date letter D 4 Makers mark 

Britannia silver is a high‑purity silver alloy made up of at least 95.833% silver (millesimal fineness 958), with the remaining ~4.17% typically copper hallmarkinvestments.co+15en.wikipedia.org+15harryandcojewellery.com.au+15. Introduced in 1697 via an Act of Parliament, this alloy was designed to curb coin melting and clipping by making it harder to use sterling silver coins as raw material goldguys.com+9en.wikipedia.org+9harryandcojewellery.com.au+9.

2. Historical Context & Hallmarks

When introduced, Britannia silver became the mandatory standard for “wrought plate” (tableware, serving dishes, etc.). To distinguish it from sterling:

• The lion passant hallmark was replaced with a figure of Britannia seated.

• The crowned leopard’s head made way for a lion’s head erased ascasonline.org+7regentantiques.com+7en.wikipedia.org+7vintagecashcow.co.uk+3ifranks.com+3harryandcojewellery.com.au+3.

• Makers used just the first two letters of their surname as their mark during 1697–1720 acsilver.co.uk+2ascasonline.org+2chards.co.uk+2.

After resistance due to its softness, sterling regained mandatory status in 1720. Britannia silver then became optional, primarily for high-end or export pieces. Since 1999, hallmarking shifted to numeric millesimal stamps (958), with the symbolic Britannia figure now optional en.wikipedia.org+15en.wikipedia.org+15acsilver.co.uk+15.

3. Composition & Characteristics

• Purity: 95.84% silver – unlike sterling at 92.5% ascasonline.org+5antiquesilver.org+5goldguys.com+5.

• Softer and brighter than sterling, making it excellent for intricate designs.

• More prone to wear and dents, offering a softer finish vintagecashcow.co.uk+1jhsilver.co.uk+1.

• Contains copper, so it still tarnishes though firescale is less of an issue en.wikipedia.org+2jhsilver.co.uk+2en.wikipedia.org+2.

4. Britannia vs. Sterling Silver