Platinum hallmarking increased by 22.2% in October 2019 compared with the same period the previous year, according to figures compiled by the Birmingham Assay Office.
The number of platinum pieces hallmarked increased from 28,652 in October 2018 to 35,026 in 2019.
Despite overall volumes decreasing by 5.6% during the month, gold remained steady with only a 0.8% decrease in the number of items hallmarked – down by 4,287 to 505,103.
Silver and palladium both decreased by 11.2% and 60.6% respectively. The total number of silver items hallmarked decreased from 529,658 in 2018 to 470,414 in October this year. Palladium totalled 1,616, down from 4,099.
Overall, the volumes decreased from 1,071,799 in 2018 to 1,012,159 in October 2019.
| Month October -18 | Month October -19 | Variance | % | |
| Gold | ||||
| 999 | 10 | 114 | 104 | 1040 |
| 990 | 11 | 0 | -11 | -100 |
| 916 | 42,304 | 32,395 | -9,909 | -23.4 |
| 750 | 93,748 | 105,675 | 11,927 | 12.7 |
| 585 | 21,589 | 29,139 | 7,550 | 35 |
| 375 | 351,728 | 337,780 | -13,948 | -4 |
| 509,390 | 505,103 | -4,287 | -0.8 | |
| Silver | ||||
| 999 | 1,676 | 1,613 | -63 | -3.8 |
| 958 | 651 | 1,533 | 882 | 135.5 |
| 925 | 527,297 | 467,259 | -60,038 | -11.4 |
| 800 | 34 | 9 | -25 | -73.5 |
| 529,658 | 470,414 | -59,244 | -11.2 | |
| Platinum | ||||
| 999 | 0 | 19 | 19 | 0 |
| 950 | 28,608 | 34,956 | 6,348 | 22.2 |
| 900 | 34 | 38 | 4 | 11.8 |
| 850 | 10 | 13 | 3 | 30 |
| 28,652 | 35,026 | 6,374 | 22.2 | |
| Palladium | ||||
| 999 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 950 | 3,052 | 1,125 | -1,927 | -63.1 |
| 500 | 1,047 | 491 | -556 | -53.1 |
| 4,099 | 1,616 | -2,483 | -60.6 | |
| Totals | 1,071,799 | 1,012,159 | -59,640 | -5.6 |
