That this appears to be the case is suggested by the reappointment of the provincial offices in 1700. York, Exeter, Bristol, Chester, and Norwich, at which cities mints had been opened for the coinage of the new silver, were reappointed by 12 William, cap. 4, to assay and mark silver plate as heretofore. The new standard was to be observed. The marks to be employed were the maker’s mark, the lion’s head erased, the figure of Britannia, the city mark, and the date letter, “a variable Roman letter,” which latter provision was not then, and has not since, been observed, as other types have been used.
From 25th March, 1697, till 1700 no plate was therefore assayed at any of the provincial centres.
In 1702 the town of Newcastle-upon-Tyne was appointed as an assay town with similar privileges and restrictions as in the above-mentioned cities.
The old standard of silver was ·925, that is in every thousand parts only 75 were to be of alloy. The new standard was ·959, that is only 41 parts of alloy could be legally used. This raised the standard of silver plate above that of the coin of the realm.
The new standard was the only legal standard for silver plate from March 1697 till 1720, when the old standard was revived and the higher standard marks of the Britannia and the lion’s head erased were no longer compulsory. Silver plate then dropped to the same fineness as the coin of the realm. But if silversmiths desired to make silver of this higher standard they could do so, and such silver plate would receive the stamps at the assay offices, of the Britannia and the lion’s head erased.
It is thus shown that the dates when silver plate must compulsorily bear the Higher Standard marks are between the years 1697 and 1720. The following note will be useful to collectors.
A piece of silver marked with the figure of Britannia and the lion’s head erased may be an example falling under any of the following heads:—
1. Assayed in London between 1697 and 1700, when London was the only office assaying silver plate. (It was illegal in England to make silver plate of a lower standard between 1697 and 1720.)
2. Assayed in London between 1701 and 1720.
3. Assayed at Chester, Exeter, York, and Norwich, between 1701 and 1720.