Upward hallmarking trajectory continues in August

The positive trend for UK hallmarking figures continued in August, according to the latest figures compiled by the Birmingham Assay Office. The total number of articles marked rose by 12.5% compared with August last year.

Particularly strong performers were 9ct gold (which rose 10.2%) and silver (which rose 18.2%), which provided enough lift to outweight falling numbers of platinum and palladium pieces being hallmarked. They fell 10.2% and 43% respectively.

Just shy of 795,000 articles were hallmarked by the four UK assay offices in the month of August, which, although a year-on-year increase, represents a significant drop from July’s 871,830 pieces hallmarked.

UK Hallmarking figures August 2014 vs August 2013:

Gold

24ct (999) – up 35.5% (42 items)
24ct (990) – down 100% (0 items)
22ct (916) – up 24.4% (40,042 items)
18ct (750) – up 1.5% (64,741 items)
14ct (585) – up 20.3% (7,729 items)
9ct (375) – up 10.9% (239,089 items)

Total gold articles – up 10.6% (351,643 articles)

Silver

Fine silver (999) – up 33.4% (2,066 items)
Britannia silver (958) – down 61.5% (805 items)
Sterling silver (925) – up 18.2% (413,184 items)
800 parts silver – down 99.4% (1 items)

Total silver articles – up 17.7% (416,056 articles)

Platinum

999 parts – level (0 items)
950 parts – down 10.2% (19,807 items)
900 parts – down 38.9% (11 items)
850 parts – down 33.3% (4 items)
Total platinum items – down 10.2% (19,822 items)

Palladium

999 parts – level (0 items)
950 parts – down 48.8% (6,244 items)
500 parts – up 15.7% (1,199 items)

Total palladium items – down 43.8% (7,443 items)

Total items hallmarked in July 2014: 794,964 – up 12.5%