Symbols for where it was made include an anchor for Birmingham and a crown for Sheffield (in 1975, it changed to a rose). Another mark is the head of the reigning monarch. And a letter stamp tells you when it was made: Each year is assigned one letter of the alphabet, and a new cycle starts with a different font.

What does anchor mean in silver?

On English silver, a walking lion, or lion passant as it is called, indicates that an object is sterling; the anchor is the symbol of the city of Birmingham.

What is the lion mark on silver?

A stamp indicating the purity of the silver is called the assayers mark. The mark for silver meeting the sterling standard of purity is the Lion Passant, but there have been other variations over the years, most notably the mark indicating Britannia purity.