A hallmark is an official mark or series of marks struck on items made of precious metals such as gold and silver and is particularly helpful when used on jewelry to establish the date of manufacture, the purity of the gold or silver and to identify the maker.
With the recent upsurge in the value of gold due to the volatile global economy, it is now, more than ever, worth digging out those old bits of gold jewelery that you don't wear any more to get cash for gold for your old and broken jewelry.
Here is a quick list of common hallmarks to help you determine the purity of your old gold jewelry
.999 = 24 carat = 99.9%
.916 = 22 carat = 91.6%
.750 = 18 carat = 75%
.585 = 14 carat = 58.5%
.417 = 10 carat = 41.7%
.375 = 9 carat = 37.5%
.333 = 8 carat = 33.3%
24 carat gold is pure gold.. Therefore .575 or 57.5% = 13.8 carat gold.
