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The British Hallmark Assay Office Specimen Set - Mayfair Coin Company
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Reference: S11483
Period: Elizabeth II
Year: 1969, 1970
Silversmith: Turner & Simpson
Place: London, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Sheffield
Price: $ 260.00
Weight: 72 grams
Dimensions: Bars 4.5 cm, plaque 9cm
Condition: Excellent, perfectly preserved on original box. Box intact, hinge works, but exterior faded and mottled.
Description: An interesting set of 4 silver ingots with hallmarks from 4 different assay offices, with an explanatory silver plaque, all in the original box. The box lid reads "The British Hallmark Assay Office Specimen Set" (this is faded and worn but still legible), the interior reads "Mayfair Coin Company London W.I." The plaque reads "The British hallmark is the acknowledged guarantee of quality accepted all over the world. The marks show makers initials, quality, assay office and date. Hallmarks were first used in 1300 A.D. The four British assay offices are: London, Birmingham, Sheffield, Edinburgh". The plaque is also clearly hallmarked for Birmingham 1970, along side set number 282. The four ingots have clear hallmarks (London 1970, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Sheffield 1969), with the name of each assay office underneath the hallmarks. The ingots are about 11 grams each, the plaque is 29 grams. Turner and Simpson worked between 1912 and 1979 in the heart of the Birmingham Jewellery Quarter, they were a large firm but still employed traditional methods. A fascinating series of 27 photographs by Janine Wiedel of the Turner & Simpson workers can be viewed at the following link, http://wiedel.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/Jewellery-Quarter-Birmingham-UK-1970s. This specimen set would make an ideal present for a new silver collector.
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British Hallmark Assay Office Specimen Set - Mayfair Coin Company
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British hallmarks - London, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Sheffield
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British Hallmark Assay Offices
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Back of sterling silver hallmarked bars
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Mayfair coin company silver plaque
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Original box
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Hallmark Assay Office Specimen Set - Mayfair
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