Quote Originally Posted by Jock Scot View Post
Thank you Chas, I did not know about the date stamp being optional these days. I personally would require one

Nevertheless would I want , as a purchaser of an antique, fresh hallmarks? In this modern day world of fakery from all corners of this Earth, alarm bells would ring loud and clear and even if I took the decision (and risk) to purchase a legitimate piece, my ancestors may have a torrid time explaining to whoever that a 150 year old antique has fresh hallmarks. No, this bidder would step away as many would, therefore the less bidders in the game the lower the price. Good in the short term for the purchaser, bad all round for the seller of today and years to come.

UK silver buyer's law. Rule I. No hallmarks, its not silver.
UK silver buyer's law. Rule 2. Regard antique silver with fresh hallmarks with suspicion.
UK silver buyer's law. Rule 3. If rule one and/or rule two apply, walk away, there is plenty more "good" stuff to be found elsewhere.

UK silver sellers lament. A curse on those that failed to hallmark their wares at the appropriate time!
I'll be honest here - this is the first I've ever heard of this hallmark law. But if I understand it correctly, this has only been a requirement since 1973? If that's the case, then I'm confused by your Rule 2. Wouldn't any antique silver have "fresh" hallmarks? How would anyone be able to ever buy antique silver if one ignored fresh hallmarks?

And besides, if the consumers treat hallmarks with suspicion, doesn't that sort of defeat the purpose of the hallmarks?

Again, since I'm not familiar with this law or its history (and enforcement), I'm curious as to how this has played out in the UK over the last 39 years. If an old Scottish gentleman had an antique sporran stuffed away in his attic, was he legally required to dig it out and get it hallmarked? What happens when he dies in 2012 and his grandson finds it and decides to sell it? Assuming the grandson decides to do it the proper way and have it hallmarked so he can sell it as silver, are all the wise collectors going to treat it with suspicion just because it bears a fresh hallmark?