The Hallmarking Act 1973 (c. 43) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which makes up the bulk of modern law regarding the assaying and hallmarking of metals in the United Kingdom. Hallmarking is a way to guarantee the purity of precious metals. Metals are tested and, if they meet a certain minimum purity requirement, are marked with a specified seal. In the United Kingdom, this is done by the assay offices in London, Birmingham, Sheffield, and Edinburgh. The act made business transactions involving unmarked metals illegal. Trading Standards departments are responsible for enforcing the act.
Another notable consequence of the act was the formation of the British Hallmarking Council (BHC). This council is responsible for advising the Secretary of State in matters of hallmarking, ensuring that the UK has acceptable hallmarking facilities, and overseeing the assay offices so that they follow the legal hallmarking standards. The council has made many important contributions concerning UK hallmarking procedures. In 1992, the European Commission proposed a directive intended to cover hallmarking. The BHC examined the document and found multiple areas of ambiguity and deficiency. When the European Parliament voted on the council's recommendations, many were approved.
The Hallmarking Regulations 1998 and the Hallmarking Order 1998 legitimised hallmarks of other member states (those countries that ratified the Convention on the Control of Articles of Precious Metals of 1972). The council was responsible for clearing up ambiguous statements in the regulations and for extending its definition to deal with other problems in the hallmarking law. These changes include seven additional standards of fineness, a change in the standard mark, and the dropping of the date requirement on marked metals.
Provisions Repealed enactments Section 23 of the act repealed 35 enactments, listed in parts I and II of schedule 7 to the act.
Part I: Public General Acts +Part I — Public General ActsCitationShort titleDescriptionExtent of repeal8 & 9 Will. 3. c. 8Standard of Silver Plate, etc. Act 1696An Act for encouraging the bringing in wrought plate to be coined.The whole act.1 Ann. c. 3Assay of Plate Act 1702An Act for continuing the Act made in the eighth year of His late Majesty's reign for better preventing the counterfeiting the current coin of this kingdom.The whole act.6 Geo. 1. c. 11Plate Duty Act 1719The Plate Duty Act 1719.The whole act.12 Geo. 2. c. 26Plate (Offences) Act 1738The Plate (Offences) Act 1738.The whole act.15 Geo. 2. c. 20Gold and Silver Thread Act 1741The Gold and Silver Thread Act 1741.The whole act.13 Geo. 3. c. 59Plate (Offences) Act 1772The Plate (Offences) Act 1772.The whole act.28 Geo. 3. c. 7Gold and Silver Thread Act 1788The Gold and Silver Thread Act 1788.The whole act.30 Geo. 3. c. 31Silver Plate Act 1790The Silver Plate Act 1790.The whole act.38 Geo. 3. c. 69Gold Plate (Standard) Act 1798The Gold Plate (Standard) Act 1798.The whole act.47 Geo. 3. Sess. 2. c. 15Plate Assay (Ireland) Act 1807The Plate Assay (Ireland) Act 1807.The whole act.6 & 7 Will. 4. c. 69Plate (Scotland) Act 1836The Plate (Scotland) Act 1836.The whole act.5 & 6 Vict. c. 47Customs Act 1842The Customs Act 1842.The whole act.7 & 8 Vict. c. 22Gold and Silver Wares Act 1844The Gold and Silver Wares Act 1844.The whole act.17 & 18 Vict. c. 96Gold and Silver Wares Act 1854The Gold and Silver Wares Act 1854.The whole act.18 & 19 Vict. c. 60Wedding Rings Act 1855The Wedding Rings Act 1855.The whole act.39 & 40 Vict. c. 36Customs Consolidation Act 1876The Customs Consolidation Act 1876.In section 42, the words from "Clocks and watches" to "United Kingdom ".46 & 47 Vict. c. 55Revenue Act 1883The Revenue Act 1883.Sections 10 and 11.47 & 48 Vict. c. 62Revenue Act 1884The Revenue Act 1884.Sections 4 and 5.53 & 54 Vict. c. 8Customs and Inland Revenue Act 1890The Customs and Inland Revenue Act 1890.Section 17.4 Edw. 7. c. 6Hall-marking of Foreign Plate Act 1904The Hall-marking of Foreign Plate Act 1904.The whole act.7 Edw. 7. c. 8Assay of Imported Watch-Cases (Existing Stocks Exemption) Act 1907The Assay of Imported Watch-Cases (Existing Stocks Exemption) Act 1907.The whole act.7 Edw. 7. c. 13Finance Act 1907The Finance Act 1907.Section 5.3 & 4 Geo. 5. c. 27Forgery Act 1913The Forgery Act 1913.Sections 5(4)(b), 8(2)(a) and 16(2)(d). Section 6, so far as it relates to any die used for the marking or stamping of gold or silver plate, or gold or silver wares.2 & 3 Geo. 6. c. 36Hall-marking of Foreign Plate Act 1939The Hall-marking of Foreign Plate Act 1939.The whole act.14 & 15 Geo. 6. c. 39Common Informers Act 1951The Common Informers Act 1951.In the Schedule, the entries relating to 8 & 9 Will. 3. c. 8; 12 Geo. 2. c. 26; 15 Geo. 2. c. 20; 13 Geo. 3. c. 52; 28 Geo. 3. c. 7; and 38 Geo. 3. c.69.15 & 16 Geo. 6 & 1 Eliz. 2. c. 44Customs and Excise Act 1952The Customs and Excise Act 1952.In Schedule 10, in Part II, paragraphs 1, 2 and 6.Acts of Parliament of Ireland1 Geo. 3. c. 9 (I)Gold and Silver Thread Act (Ireland) 1761The Gold and Silver Thread Act (Ireland) 1761.The whole act.23 & 24 Geo. 3. c. 23 (I)Plate Assay Act 1783An Act to regulate the assay of gold and promote the manufacture of gold and silver wares in this kingdom.The whole act.
Part II: Local Acts +Part II — Local ActsCitationShort titleExtent of repeal13 Geo. 3. c. 52Plate (Sheffield and Birmingham) Act 1772Sections 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25 and 26.24 Geo. 3. Sess. 2. c. 20Plate Assay (Sheffield) Act 1784The whole act.59 Geo. 3. c. xxviiiGlasgow Assay Office Act 1819The whole act.5 Geo. 4. c. liiBirmingham Assay Office Act 1824Sections 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, 31, 32, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40 and 41.6 Edw. 7. c. ixSheffield Assay Act 1906Section 6.8 & 9 Geo. 5. c. lxiSheffield Corporation (Consolidation) Act 1918Sections 501 and 502.16 & 17 Geo. 5. c. cxGlasgow Goldsmiths Company Order Confirmation Act 1926The whole act.
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