9ct gold | How old is the "9ct" mark? by: Anonymous
Pat thanks for writing in. They're still striking " 9 ct " on gold jewelry today, so it's important to work out the maker's mark. I'm not sure about the initials though - do you mean W & S? You are welcome to submit these details in a follow-up submission but please could you use "Maker's mark | Thistle Brooch" in the subject line so I know it is your question.
From 1798 to 1854, only gold assayed at 18 and 22 ct was permissible and hallmarked. In 1854, 15, 12, and 9 ct were legalized. The fineness in thousandths called the millesimal value was added to these karat marks from 1854 to 1932.
In 1932, 15 and 12 ct were abandoned in favor of 14 ct, which was also marked 585. 9 ct continued to be legal, also marked 375.
