Platinum up 9.4% in December; Overall 2018 results revealed
Platinum hallmarking increased by 9.4% in December 2018, compared with the same period the previous year, despite overall volumes decreasing by 2.1% according to figures compiled by the Birmingham Assay Office.
The number of gold pieces hallmarked decreased from 322,033 in December 2017 to 312,281 in 2018. Silver and palladium also both decreased by -1.5% and -51.1% respectively. The total number of silver items hallmarked decreased from 379,631 in 2017 to 373,756 in December this year. Palladium totalled 1,473 for the month, down from 3,015 last year.
Overall the volumes decreased by 15,406 to 707,965 in December 2018.
The assay offices have also released hallmarking data for the entirety of 2018, which saw a 2.4% decrease in hallmarked pieces from 9,336,926 in 2017 to 9,114,402 in 2018 – 222,524 less articles.
Silver hallmarked pieces decreased by 5.9% in 2018 to 4,640,569, compared with 4,933,356 in 2017, and palladium hallmarked items fell by 26.2% to 62,667, compared with 84,868 last year.
However, gold and platinum saw positive results for the year, with increases of 1.9% and 5.3% respectively. Gold hallmarked articles increased by 77,378 to 4,113,643, compared with 4,036,265 in 2017, and platinum hallmarked items increased by 15,086 to 297,523, up from 282,437 last year.
December 2017 vs 2018
Month Dec-17 | Month Dec-18 | Variance | % | |
Gold | ||||
999 | 45 | 66 | 21 | -46.7 |
990 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 600 |
916 | 28,706 | 22,053 | -6,653 | -23.2 |
750 | 57,904 | 63,201 | 5,297 | 9.1 |
585 | 14,242 | 11,980 | -2,262 | -15.9 |
375 | 221,135 | 214,974 | -6,161 | -2.8 |
322,033 | 312,281 | -9,752 | -3 | |
Silver | ||||
999 | 988 | 539 | -449 | -45.4 |
958 | 552 | 632 | 80 | 14.5 |
925 | 377,822 | 362,580 | -5,242 | -1.4 |
800 | 269 | 5 | -264 | -98.1 |
379,631 | 373,756 | -5,875 | -1.5 | |
Platinum | ||||
999 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 100 |
950 | 11,393 | 20,412 | 9,019 | 79.2 |
900 | 7,281 | 37 | -7,244 | -99.5 |
850 | 17 | 4 | -13 | -76.5 |
18,692 | 20,455 | 1,763 | 9.4 | |
Palladium | ||||
999 | 1 | 0 | -1 | -100 |
950 | 2,482 | 1,203 | -1,279 | -51.5 |
500 | 532 | 270 | -262 | -49.2 |
3,015 | 1,473 | -1,542 | -51.1 | |
Totals | 723,371 | 707,965 | -15,406 | -2.1 |
2017 vs 2018
2017 | 2018 | Variance | % | |
Gold | ||||
999 | 309 | 710 | 401 | 129.8 |
990 | 176 | 129 | -47 | -26.7 |
916 | 436,582 | 421,175 | -15,407 | -3.5 |
750 | 806,185 | 828,999 | 22,814 | 2.8 |
585 | 134,959 | 163,777 | 28,818 | 21.4 |
375 | 2,658,054 | 2,698,853 | 40,799 | 1.5 |
4,036,265 | 4,113,643 | 77,378 | 1.9 | |
Silver | ||||
999 | 20,933 | 19,905 | -1,028 | -4.9 |
958 | 13,247 | 11,774 | -1,473 | -11.1 |
925 | 4,898,500 | 4,608,202 | -290,298 | -5.9 |
800 | 676 | 688 | 12 | 1.8 |
4,933,356 | 4,640,569 | -292,787 | -5.9 | |
Platinum | ||||
999 | 71 | 62 | -9 | -12.7 |
950 | 274,474 | 296,976 | 22,502 | 8.2 |
900 | 7,466 | 322 | -7,144 | -95.7 |
850 | 426 | 163 | -263 | -61.7 |
282,437 | 297,523 | 15,086 | 5.3 | |
Palladium | ||||
999 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 300 |
950 | 69,692 | 51,852 | -17,840 | -25.6 |
500 | 15,174 | 10,807 | -4,367 | -28.8 |
84,868 | 62,667 | -22,201 | -26.2 | |
Totals | 9,336,926 | 9,114,402 | -222,524 | -2.4 |