Sheffield hallmark date letter “I”: which year?
Short answer
The letter I on a Sheffield hallmark can be any of these years, depending on its case and typeface: 1818–1819 (uppercase roman); 1852–1853 (uppercase roman); 1901–1902 (lowercase gothic); 1926–1927 (lowercase roman); 1951–1952 (uppercase roman); 1983 (uppercase 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 I at Sheffield
| Years | Letter style | Cycle | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1818–1819 | uppercase roman | Sheffield cycle | Arbitrary order. |
| 1852–1853 | uppercase roman | Sheffield cycle | |
| 1901–1902 | lowercase gothic | Sheffield cycle | |
| 1926–1927 | lowercase roman | Sheffield cycle | |
| 1951–1952 | uppercase roman | Sheffield cycle | |
| 1983 | uppercase 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 I at other offices: London, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Chester, Glasgow.
Frequently asked
What year is the letter I on a Sheffield hallmark?
It depends on the shape of the letter: 1818–1819 (uppercase roman); 1852–1853 (uppercase roman); 1901–1902 (lowercase gothic); 1926–1927 (lowercase roman); 1951–1952 (uppercase roman); 1983 (uppercase 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.