- Jewelry Identifier
- Hallmarks
- LIONS_HEAD_ERASED
* Silver hallmark
The LIONS_HEAD_ERASED hallmark: meaning, purity & value
British assay mark: lion's head 'erased' (severed with jagged base). Paired with Britannia figure to mark Britannia silver. Used 1697-1720 mandatorily.
Published May 30, 2026
Quick facts
- Metal
- Silver
- Purity
- 95.8%
- Fineness
- 958/1000
- Common regions
- UK
Stamps that mean the same thing
This purity may be struck into jewelry as any of: LIONS_HEAD_ERASED / Lion's head erased. The mark differs by country and era, but the metal content is identical.
What LIONS_HEAD_ERASED tells you
British assay mark: lion's head 'erased' (severed with jagged base). Paired with Britannia figure to mark Britannia silver. Used 1697-1720 mandatorily.
How to value it
The melt value of a LIONS_HEAD_ERASED piece is silver spot price × 0.958 × weight (g). A buyer typically deducts 5–15% for assay, refining, and margin, so the cash offer lands just under that figure. Stones and complex settings are usually excluded from the metal weight.
Live calculators: silver purity × weight · per-gram hub.
How to check it yourself
- Examine the stamp under a 10× loupe — genuine marks are crisp and evenly struck, not doubled or smeared.
- Confirm the mark reads LIONS_HEAD_ERASED or an equivalent such as Lion's head erased.
- Photograph it in the Jewelry Identifier app to read the metal, hallmark, and any gemstones from the image.
- For a binding result, have an assay office or gemological lab run an XRF purity test.
* Frequently asked
FAQ
- Q. Is LIONS_HEAD_ERASED the same as Lion's head erased?
- A. Yes. LIONS_HEAD_ERASED, Lion's head erased all denote the same material — 95.8% silver. Different markets and eras stamp it differently, but the purity is identical.
- Q. How much is LIONS_HEAD_ERASED worth?
- A. Its melt value is the silver spot price × 0.958 × the weight in grams. Buyers then deduct roughly 5–15% for refining and margin, so a quoted buy-back price sits a little below that theoretical figure.
- Q. How do I confirm a LIONS_HEAD_ERASED stamp is genuine?
- A. Look at the mark under 10× magnification for crisp, even strikes, cross-check the weight-to-volume ratio against the expected density, scan it with the Jewelry Identifier app, and — when it matters — have an XRF test done by an assay office or gemological lab.
* Try it
Identify the jewelry in your hand, right now.
Just take a photo — AI reads the metal, gemstone, hallmark, era, and an estimated value range in seconds. First two scans free, no account required.
* Related