From modernsilver.com comes the following:
"There is a common misunderstanding about what a hallmark really is. Many people confuse hallmarks with makers' marks.
A hallmark is nothing more than an indication of metal content, a guarantee of purity or quality, which may include a maker’s mark and other marks.
Makers' marks alone are not considered hallmarks.
Hallmarks are most often found on precious metal objects. Jewelry is exempted from hallmarking under certain circumstances.
However, when a piece of jewelry is hallmarked, the marks can yield clues to country of origin and, sometimes, date of manufacture, as well as indicate the metal content of the piece."
Hope that helps.
