British silver and gold are punched with a standard, a town, a maker, and (historically) a date letter. The bench identifies the town mark and the millesimal fineness. Date letters cycle by assay office and typeface — they need a printed table this screen will not fake.
Town marks: London leopard (crowned until 1822), Birmingham anchor (1773), Sheffield crown then rose, Edinburgh castle, Dublin harp. Sterling is 925/1000 (lion passant in England). Britannia standard 958 was compulsory 1697–1720. Sponsor’s mark (maker) is initials in a shield — not decoded here. Consult Jackson’s or the Goldsmiths’ Company for a date letter.