Birmingham hallmark date letter “J”: which year?
Short answer
The letter J on a Birmingham hallmark can be any of these years, depending on its case and typeface: 1807–1808 (lowercase roman); 1858–1859 (uppercase roman); 1933–1934 (uppercase roman); 2008 (lowercase roman, unified cycle).
Before 1975 the letter changes in July, so most letters span two calendar years. Compare the case and typeface with the table; the letter alone does not settle it.
Candidates for J at Birmingham
| Years | Letter style | Cycle | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1807–1808 | lowercase roman | Birmingham cycle | |
| 1858–1859 | uppercase roman | Birmingham cycle | |
| 1933–1934 | uppercase roman | Birmingham cycle | |
| 2008 | lowercase roman | All UK offices, from 1975 |
Narrowing it down
Other marks and features on the piece can rule candidates out: see dating jewelry by construction features and the other UK hallmarks.
The letter J at other offices: London, Sheffield, Edinburgh, Chester, Glasgow.
Frequently asked
What year is the letter J on a Birmingham hallmark?
It depends on the shape of the letter: 1807–1808 (lowercase roman); 1858–1859 (uppercase roman); 1933–1934 (uppercase roman); 2008 (lowercase roman, unified cycle).
Sources
- Silver Makers' Marks, date-letter tables by assay office
- The Goldsmiths' Company Assay Office, History of hallmarking
- Assay Office Birmingham, timeline
- Sheffield Assay Office, history
All sources are listed with the method on the sources page.