Quarterly Hallmarking Figures / October to December 2010

HIGH PRICES CONTINUE TO HAVE IMPACT ON
GOLD VOLUMES

The high price of gold continues to impact fine jewellery sales. Hallmarking volumes through the
four UK assay offices were at their lowest since 1974 at a total of 14,841,840 units, nearly 8%
down on 2009.

For the second year running more silver articles were struck than gold, representing 58% of the total. Gold volumes were only 5.8m, nearly 17% down on 2009 and 45% down on 2008. Platinum fared better, 1.1% up on the previous year and silver dropped by only 1.7%.

The new Palladium hallmark, introduced in July 2009 was struck on 114,000 articles in its first full calendar year as a compulsory mark. The downturn in gold steepened in the last quarter and with the forecasters predicting further gold price rises there is no reason to expect any change to this trend.

Work dealt with by the Assay Offices of Great Britain, for the Quarter October - December 2010

Figures for the year 2010