The total number of articles hallmarked across the four UK Assay Offices in October was 8.3% up on the same month in 2013, an increase of 95,112 items hallmarked overall. No surprises that 9ct gold was the strongest performing category again with an increase of 92,878 pieces hallmarked against the same month last year, an increase of 24.3%. 18ct gold also showed a strong increase with 23,832 more pieces hallmarked compared to October 2013, an increase of 26.0%. Silver articles hallmarked was down slightly by 3.8% whilst platinum and palladium were up by 2.9% and 14.5% respectively.

	Month	Month		Variance		%
	Oct-13	Oct-14
Gold
999	38	193		155		407.9
990	0	2		2		100.0
916	43,460	39,623		-3,837		-8.8
750	91,748	115,580		23,832		26.0
585	6,269	9,054		2,785		44.4
375	382,586	475,464		92,878		24.3
	524,101	639,916		115,815		22.1
Silver
999	1,342	2,362		1,020		76.0
958	2,209	493		-1,716		-77.7
925	586,526	564,748		-21,778		-3.7
800	20	45		25		125.0
	590,097	567,648		-22,449		-3.8
Platinum
999	0	3		3		100.0
950	24,181	24,898		717		3.0
900	39	22		-17		-43.6
850	6	8		2		33.3
	24,226	24,931		705		2.9
Palladium
999	-	0		0		0.0
950	6,302	6846		544		8.6
500	879	1376		497		56.5
	7,181	8222		1,041		14.5
	1,145,605	1,240,717		95,112		8.3

This information has been compiled by ASSAY OFFICE BIRMINGHAM.