• The Goldsmiths’ Company London Assay Office can now apply a new commemorative mark that celebrates the Coronation of King Charles III 
• The artwork for the mark, which depicts the King’s head in profile, was designed by Thomas Fattorini Limited, and is based on a medal by Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS 
• The mark can be requested by jewellers, silversmiths and retailers from 1 March 2023 until 31 December 2024
• The mark can be applied to items made of precious metals
• The mark can be applied by punch in sizes 1mm - 6mm, or by laser in sizes starting at 0.75mm and becoming as large as practically possible on the item being submitted
• The mark costs £1+VAT at standard size, or£6.50 for non-standard sizes above 6mm 
• The King’s Coronation Mark can be placed anywhere viable on the item being hallmarked, not necessarily next to the statutory hallmark, and can differ in size from the compulsory component marks
• The King’s Coronation Mark is an optional mark

To celebrate the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III, the Goldsmiths’ Company London Assay Office have today (1 March 2023) begun applying a new commemorative mark to items made of gold, silver, platinum and palladium. 
 
Sanctioned by the British Hallmarking Council, the mark - which depicts the King’s head against an oval background - was designed by Thomas Fattorini Limited, and is based on a medal by Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS. The mark can be applied by punch or laser alongside legally required components of the hallmark (sponsor, millesimal fineness, and Assay Office). 
 
Commemorative marks have proved popular with UK consumers since their introduction in 1934 and have been used to mark important occasions including coronations, jubilees and the Millennium. The most recent commemorative mark was issued in 2021 to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, and was applied to more than 70,000 items by The London Assay Office. 

Will Evans, General Manager of The London Assay Office said, “The London Assay Office is proud to offer this historic mark to jewellers and silversmiths until the end of 2024. The skill of our engineers has been pivotal in realising this important moment. Their decades of precision engineering experience and attention to microscopic detail has led to the creation of some truly beautiful metal punches and digital artwork for laser application. Seeing a London hallmark reach the end-consumer is always significant, and no more so than when it incorporates a commemorative mark to signify a key moment in national life.”

The Goldsmiths’ Company London Assay Office has been applying hallmarks since 1300. The term ‘hallmark’ comes from a mark being struck in its Hall on Foster Lane in the City of London. 700 years on and that process is still happening today at Goldsmiths’ Hall.  
 

Jewellers, silversmiths and retailers can request the commemorative mark from 1 March 2023 until the end of 2024. Application will be charged at £1 for each item in addition to other hallmarking charges.  

The mark depicts the King’s head against an oval background - as shown here struck into aluminium during our test process

The skill of our engineers has been pivotal in realising this important moment. Their decades of precision engineering experience and attention to microscopic detail has led to the creation of some truly beautiful metal punches