Germany
Germany has no assay office — a maker may leave a piece unmarked, but if purity is declared it must use the national stamps: an imperial crown with a crescent moon, or a sun.
In the atlas: Idar‑Oberstein Gemstone Quarter
Voluntary marking
The Feingehaltsgesetz of 1884 (effective 1888) unified the German states on a thousandths system with two imperial emblems, replacing the old city marks and the Loth system.
No assay office. Marking optional; the stamp design is fixed once used.
What you'll see struck
Crescent & Crown
Silver (≥ 800)
The Halbmond und Reichskrone: a crescent moon with the imperial crown to its right, the national silver mark since 1888.
Sun & Crown
Gold
The Reichsgoldstempel: the imperial crown set inside a sun disc, the gold counterpart.
Maker's mark
Responsibility mark
The Herstellerzeichen identifies the firm responsible. Germany never used date letters.
Fineness
- Gold
- 333 · 375 · 585 (common) · 750 · 986 · 999
- Silver
- 800 (common) · 830 · 835 · 900 · 925 · 935
Decode a mark you've found
Seen a number struck inside a piece? Read what it means, and how Germany marks it.
Heading there to buy? These district buyer's guides show how to read a hallmark at the counter, what a fair price looks like, and how to spot a fake.
- Gesetz über den Feingehalt der Gold- und Silberwaren Verified
- Bestimmung der Form des Stempelzeichens Verified
* Platinum and palladium figures are modern/Convention-era; they are not part of the 1884 law.
A reference guide, not an authentication service. Marks vary by date and metal; consult the relevant assay office or standards body for definitive identification.