German Hallmarks - City Marks III - Encyclopedia of Silver Marks, Hallmarks & Makers' Marks

Online Encyclopedia of Silver Marks, Hallmarks & Makers' Marks

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Silver Marks ~ Germany ~ Before 1886

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Assay marks for silver purity found on German and Prussian silver of the 18th & 19th centuries.

The Lot system divided silver into 16 parts
16/16 = pure silver • 15 lot =.937 14 lot =.875 13 lot =.812 12 lot =.750

German
Hallmarks
Post-1886

Individual City & Town marks were used until ca.1886

German City Marks
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A • D D • H H • O P • Z

The Arms of a city often reflected the imagery used in its town mark, where this was the case, an image of the city's arms is included for comparison.


	Hanover City Mark Lower Saxony 17th cent. examples had two digit date numerals below flower. Later, without numerals until mid 18th century when, as in this example, loth standard number was added below the flower.
	Heilbronn City Mark Baden-Württemberg Earlier examples lacked a surrounding cartouche, later with a rectangular cartouche. Similar to Frankfurt's mark.
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	Ilmenau City Mark Thuringia Mark depicts a cockerel.
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	Karlsruhe City Mark Baden-Württemberg The diagonal emblazon is sometimes seen across a shield form, rather than the oval illustrated here.
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	Kassel City Mark Hesse The shield form evolved into a circle in the latter eighteenth century and a letter (indicating assayer) was added below. The fourth example was used after c.1850.
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	Kiel City Mark Schleswig-Holstein Stylized nettle leaf, similar marks were used by a number of other cities also located within the Schleswig-Holstein region.
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	Königsberg City Mark Prussia Illustrated is a mid 19th cent. example, earlier versions lacked the standard (loth) number. Koenigsberg is now the Kaliningrad Oblast, located between Poland and Lithuania.
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	Leipzig City Mark Saxony Variations on the crossed swords and L were used from the early 18th century through the late 19th century.
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	Liegnitz City Mark Prussia Variations on the crossed keys were used 16th century through 18th century. Now Legnica in Poland
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	Lubeck City Mark Schleswig-Holstein Variations on the double headed eagle were used from ca.1500 through the 18th century.
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	Lüneburg City Mark Lower Saxony The crescent moon used from the early 19th century, previously a lion rampant mark had been used. The letter E is an assay master's mark.
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	Magdeburg City Mark Saxony-Anhalt Variations the "St. Catherine between towers" mark were used from the 16th and into the 19th century.

	Mainz City Mark Rhineland-Palatinate Variations on this wheel symbol were used from the 16th through late 19th century. Usually without the crown at the top. The city of Mulhouse also used a wheel, however it is a gear wheel with toothed edges.
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	Munich City Mark (München) Bavaria The figure of a monk was used, in one form or another, from the 17th century through the late 19th century, date numerals began in the mid 18th century.
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	Neustadt am Rübenberge City Mark Hanover District, Lower Saxony The mark is very similar to and easily confused with that of Braunschweig (Brunswick).
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	Norden City Mark Lower Saxony The mark is seen with five, six & seven pointed stars.
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	Nurnberg City Mark (Nuremburg) Bavaria Beginning in the 1760's, a date letter was used, but as a separate stamp from the city mark.
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	Osnabrück City Mark (Nuremburg) Lower Saxony The wheel was used from the 17th C. onwards. Similar to Mainz mark

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Related Pages at 925-1000.com:
German Hallmarks after-1886
Hanau Pseudo-Marks
Hamburg Makers' Marks
World Hallmarks
British Hallmarks Explained
Dutch Hallmarks
French Hallmarks
Austrian Hallmarks
Swedish Hallmarks
Finnish Hallmarks
Norwegian Makers
David-Andersen Marks
Georg Jensen Marks
Mexican Silver Marks

Thanks to forum members "Bahner" & "blakstone" for providing additional information on a number of these marks.

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Looking to do further research? Have a mark you can't identify? Join the forum.