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The reverse of each of the 2000 brooches bears an individual number.
Hallmarks consist of several parts:-
The Sponsors Mark This shows who made or submitted the item for hallmarking.
Standard Mark Shows the parts per 1000 of precious metal. 925 indicates Sterling silver, the most common alloy in the UK.
Assay Office Mark The anchor denotes Birmingham. Ironic that the Anchor Mark was given to a centre so far from the sea but the answer is that when Birmingham and Sheffield were both petitioning parliament for their own assay offices they met in a tavern in Westminster called "The Crown and Anchor".
Year The millennium hallmark has been created for all silver, gold and platinum effects produced and stamped between 1st January 1999 and 31st December 2000. Once the last hallmark has been struck the stamp will be destroyed. They chose the simple design of the numerals 2000, set within the shape of a cross. Not all silver produced in this time frame, however, will bear this commemorative stamp, which is an optional extra.
The Bizz Badge Company produced the Millennium Badge which has a sponers (JS&Co) mark registered to J. Shaw & Co (London) Ltd.
Golly Corner: Silver 2000 Millennium Golly Backstamp / revised May 2004
Photographs Copyright Liz Prigg © 1998–2009