A gold hallmark is a set of marks struck into the metal. The number that matters for a scrap offer is the fineness: how many parts per thousand are gold.
The numbers we see most often
- **375** is 9 carat, 37.5% gold. It is the common UK jewellery standard.
- **585** is 14 carat, 58.5% gold. It appears often on European and American pieces.
- **750** is 18 carat, 75% gold.
- **916** is 22 carat, 91.6% gold, also the traditional fineness associated with a full gold sovereign’s alloy.
- **999** is described as fine gold. Investment bars are often 999.9, which is finer still.
Older British pieces may show a crown, a leopard’s head or a date letter beside the fineness. Those marks help identify where and when a piece was struck. They do not replace a test if the stamp is worn.