Year of release of gold items. Gold samples in the ussr. Which authorities regulate this process
Gold is rarely used in its pure form. All jewelry sold in stores is partially composed of gold, as well as impurities of other metals - ligatures. This gives the product additional strength, since pure gold is a soft material in its structure, and products made from it quickly lose their original properties - they become thinner and prone to breakage.
When buying any gold products, it is important to pay close attention to the presence of a stamp on them, located next to the lock mechanism, as a rule, on the back side of it.
On the chains, the stamp is affixed on the rings that connect the main chain to the lock, on the earrings - on the pin, the rings are to be printed on the inside. The mark is inherent in all high quality gold items.
On the territory of the Russian Federation, gold products are sold on sale, the samples of which are of quality 375, 500, 585, 750 and 999.
The sample is placed near the mark. It is designed to determine the percentage of pure gold in a product.
- the main indicator of the presence of impurities in the product, but stamps are also intended for this purpose. They are affixed after applying the sample and must comply with all the requirements of state standards.
In our country, these two procedures are carried out by the Assay Office, which is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Finance. Employees of the Federal Assay Office are responsible for the real compliance of samples and stamps with state samples, and also control their authenticity.
All Russian-made products must contain two hallmarks - an imprint of the manufacturer's name (sign) and the hallmark of the state inspection.
In the absence of a stamp or sample stamp on the item, it can be assumed that the manufacture of gold jewelry or other item was carried out by illegal methods.
Gold products imported into the territory of our country from other countries are also equipped with a domestic stamp.
Prior to affixing a stamp with numbers denoting a sample, a piece of jewelry is thoroughly tested. Only after determining its authenticity and naturalness, a decision is made to brand it.
If a piece of jewelry brought from another country is transferred for inspection, then its sample may be lower than that specified in the transportation documents. Therefore, such a product is stamped with a sample an order of magnitude lower than in the documents. In case of complete doubt and discrepancy between the quality of the product and the sample declared in the documents, the stamp is not affixed.
Types of stamps:
- The main- on it, in a frame, there is an image of a woman's head in a kokoshnik, which looks to the right, and a sign in numbers indicating the sample. The letter on the left side of the head indicates where exactly the product was branded - on the territory of which State Inspectorate.
- Additional- is used for individual parts of the product and contains one sample.
For gold products, the stamps are made in the form of a spade, consisting of an identification mark, an inspection code and a sample number to which the metal belongs.
All signs (names) are registered without fail and are included in the catalog of manufacturers.
In any jewelry factory, there are three main methods of stamping gold items:
Consequently, the types of marks on the product are determined by a number of certain points:
- the complexity of the decoration;
- the peculiarity of the arrangement of stones on it (if any);
- appearance;
- jewelry design. The more sophisticated it is, the more difficult it is to brand gold.
Everyone should know when buying a piece of jewelry or any gold product that the absence of a sample, a stamp on it is the first sign of a fake and low quality of purchase.
You should feel free to ask the seller for quality marks for familiarization, so as not to get deep disappointment from such a "decoration".
The same applies to the sale of jewelry without a brand and sample - this is a violation of current legislation, since such sales do not pursue the interests of buyers. With purchase receipts and return certificates in hand, it will not be difficult to return the purchased low-quality jewelry to the store.
The types of samples differ from each other by the presence of gold in the general alloy of the whole product.
The lowest alloy in composition is 375 gold. Gold in it is only 37.5%, the rest is silver and copper. The shade of the product depends on the predominant amount of one or another metal in it, and varies from light yellow to bright red.
The luster of 375-carat gold quickly fades away from the sun's rays and air. That is why jewelry is rarely made from it. As a rule, these can be inexpensive wedding rings that are attractive to buyers at a low price.
Gold of 585 assay value is most often used for making gold for jewelry in our country. Gold in its pure form in this sample accounts for 58.5%, 8% is silver and 33.5% is copper. This alloy is usually very strong and has yellow or reddish tints.
Today, white gold has come into fashion widely, therefore, due to its popularity, an alloy of the well-known white shade was invented under the 585 fineness. For this, palladium and nickel are added to it.
Gold 750, the jewelry of which is the most expensive, high-quality and prestigious, is quite flexible in processing. Thanks to this, it is possible to make products from it that have truly jewelry accuracy.
The malleable metal of this sample forms the basis of the most expensive jewelry that make up special collections. The gold in this alloy is 75%. The metal does not tarnish over time, does not stop shining and perfectly tolerates the effects of the most powerful alkalis.
999 gold is pure gold in the literal sense, having the highest value. It is very bright in color and is susceptible to any, even the smallest, mechanical deformations. This material is used in the production of ingots.
It is important to know how to deliver a piece if it is made to order from a private jeweler. It should be borne in mind that in order to establish a hallmark with a sample on a product, you need to contact the Assay Office.
Therefore, before ordering work from a jeweler, you should ask him for a certificate of registration of an individual as an individual entrepreneur, so as not to waste time and money. The purchased piece of jewelry can be taken to a pawnshop to determine its authenticity and compliance with the declared characteristics.
Due to the fact that earlier the brands were applied manually to the products, it was impossible to forge them, and any jeweler could independently distinguish the original from the fake jewelry.
Today, high-tech equipment used in the manufacture of a stamp allows unscrupulous persons to carry out fraud and forge decals, in the form of a stamp and a test, inflicting increased characteristics on jewelry or gold products that do not correspond to the samples put down.
To try to independently determine the authenticity of the brand, you should arm yourself with a good magnifying glass with a sufficient degree of magnification. Due to the fact that dirt can get into the deepened depressions of the brand, the jewelry should be thoroughly washed before inspection.
The counterfeit mark corresponds to the present one only in terms of its external features, which are noticeable on the basis of visual inspection.
The most important thing that distinguishes an original from a fake is the clarity and evenness of the sample. Crooked, uneven numbers indicate a fake.
Not always, of course, an unsuccessfully affixed test is 100% imitation, but in most cases it is inherent in products made of fake metal.
Also, uneven numbers inside the sample may indicate a fake. Sometimes names are made by hand, and due to the jewelry of the work, minor flaws are possible. But this is usually the exception.
The stamp on gold is a necessary attribute that distinguishes metal of one quality from another, characterizing the authenticity of the product, its legality and legality. Therefore, when buying a piece of jewelry or any other gold product, you should carefully choose it so as not to get disappointed with the purchase.
Gold is rarely used in its pure form. Usually the product we call gold consists of the most precious metal and the so-called ligature, that is, impurities of other metals. Additives are included in the composition of gold to improve endurance and density, because gold in its pure form is very soft. Pure metal quickly becomes thinner, and products made of it are very easy to scratch or break. High-quality products have a stamp on gold, which we will talk about later.
Even in ancient times, it was calculated that the best impurities for gold are silver and copper. Well, to indicate the gold content in the alloy, samples began to be used.
The sample is the main indicator of impurities in the product, but hallmarks also serve this purpose - signs that are put in control institutions and guarantee the presence of precious metal in the alloy. In France, the first stamp was put in 1275, but in Russia the first stamp appeared on a product in Moscow in 1651-1652. It looked like a two-headed eagle with a date written in Slavic letters, and its purpose was to demonstrate the silver test. Samples in the modern sense were introduced by Peter the Great in his decree of February 13, 1700, which established 4 samples each for gold and silver.
Gold Sample Systems
There are metric, carat and spool systems of gold samples in the world. The most popular are carat and metric, of which the latter is more commonly used. According to the British carat system, which is used in the USA, Switzerland and a number of other countries, a carat is equal to 1/24 of the mass of the entire alloy. Thus, 24 carat gold is a pure substance without additives, but 18 carats means 18 parts of gold in the total proportion of the mixture of metals. In the jewelry industry, you can most often find samples: 9, 10, 14, 18 and 24. 
In Russia, since 1711, a spool-type sampling system has worked for silver alloys, and in 1733 it was introduced for gold as well. This measure was invented on the basis of the Russian pound, which contains 96 spools, and the fineness itself was expressed by the weight of gold in 96 alloy units. Pure gold had a 96th standard, and at the end of the 19th - at the beginning of the 20th century, the 56th, 72nd, 82nd, 92nd and 94th samples were in use.
In 1927, the USSR switched to the metric system of calculation, all manufactured products that had previously had spool markings changed it to metric. The new system was identical to the German one, and the sample number had a figure from 0 to 1000 and showed the presence of gold in the alloy.
Today, many countries use metric quality standards (the most accurate system). In them, the highest standard is 1000, but in fact it does not occur, and the hallmark on gold can be a number up to 999.6.
In connection with the problem of the calculation error in the glory of gold, the so-called remedium is established, in other words, a deviation from the norm. In compounds of silver and gold, gold and copper and all three components together, the remedium is usually set at 3 units. For example, a 583-carat alloy should have a remedium of 3 units, therefore, the gold content will be approximately 580-586 g / 1 kg of the alloy. Nickel-doped gold alloys have a remedium of 5 units.
In Russia, jewelry for sale can have samples from 375 to 958. In the Soviet Union there was also 583-carat gold, but in Europe there was a 14-carat fineness, which had indicators higher than the Soviet one. To avoid a lower price for our gold in Europe, the standard was changed to 585.
In the modern system of Russia, 23-carat gold is correlated with the 958th fine, 18-carat - with the 750th, and so on. To convert from metric to carat, the sample must be multiplied by 0.024.
Popular samples of gold
In our country, there are five levels of quality for gold products.
The 375th test is an alloy with a 38 percent metal content (impurities - silver and copper), with a range of color from yellow to reddish; over time, such a mixture fades. 
The 500th is an alloy with 50.5 percent gold (impurities are silver and copper).
585th - a mixture of 58.5 percent gold with silver, copper, palladium and nickel. This combination makes the product hard, durable, resistant to the influence of air, which is why it is often used in production. 
750 is an alloy with 75.5% precious metal mixed with silver, platinum, copper, nickel and palladium. Can range in color from green and yellow to pink and reddish. Fairly durable, but handles and polishes well. It is very popular for making jewelry, used for high-precision work. 
958 is an alloy with a gold content of 95.38 percent, which is rarely used due to its softness and inexpressive color.
Alloys above the 750th test do not tarnish when exposed to air, and the 999th test is not used due to poor reliability indicators. For works of art, the 958th assay is best suited, the 900th is used for minting, and for jewelry purposes the 585th assay is used. 
Brands on gold
In all countries, the content of metal in alloys is controlled by government agencies, and if jewelry is produced by a jewelry corporation, then verification is carried out by their internal forces. For example, in Holland, the production of silver and gold items of any quality is completely allowed.
IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION, THE SHARE OF GOLD IN THE ALLOY IS DETERMINED BY THE STATE AND INDICATED IN THE DECREE “ON PROCEDURE FOR TESTING AND GLANDING OF PRODUCTS FROM PRECIOUS METALS”. PRODUCTS FROM SUCH METALS MUST HAVE STATE BRANDING AND CONFORMITY TO RUSSIAN STANDARDS.
The testing and branding procedure is carried out by the Russian State Assay Office located under the Ministry of Finance. And specialists of the Federal Assay Supervision monitor the observance of gold samples and their compliance with reality.
In Turkey, Egypt, Greece and the United States, gold and silver products are not controlled. In this regard, Russian jewelers say that 90% of Turkish gold does not correspond to the declared quality: often with the specified 585th standard, it really barely reached the 500th. But recently, trust in Turkish samples has completely disappeared, the fact is that in any store in this country you can choose an unmarked gold product, after which the seller will put the desired number on it using a special typewriter.
Usually, the image of the stamp combines a certain drawing and a digital designation of the sample, and the sample itself, as mentioned earlier, is put by government services.
Types of hallmarks
Different designs and shapes are used for branding products in different countries, so what brands are depicted in different countries on gold? For example, in Belarus, a bison is put on products.
Until 1896, “tees” were put in Russia - hallmarks on which the number of the sample, the coat of arms, the first letters of the name of the inspector and the year of the stamp were combined into one pattern. And if before 1897 the signs themselves had a convex shape, then after this year they acquired a depressed appearance. 
Already in 1899, one stigma was introduced in Russia - the “identification mark”, which looked like a woman's head in a kokoshnik, depicted in profile on the left.
From 1908 to 1927, other hallmarks worked with the same head in the kokoshnik, but turned in the other direction, moreover, accompanied by a Greek letter that changes depending on the region of Russia. 
In 1927, a new brand appeared in Russia - the head of a worker with a hammer, and the calculation itself was converted to metric. From July 1, 1958, a stamp in the form of a five-pointed star, inside which a sickle and a hammer were located, began to be used for products made of all precious metals. 
Now Russian jewelry is also branded as a woman's head wearing a kokoshnik. The stamp can be either combined or located separately. On the stamp of the combined type in the frame there is a head in a kokoshnik looking to the right and numbers indicating the sample, and to the left of the head there is a small letter denoting the State Inspection, which put the stamp. 
For a stamp on separate or easily detachable things, a separate type stamp is used, the head is placed on one, and the sample numbers on the other part of the product.
THE JEWELRY OF RUSSIAN PRODUCTION MUST HAVE THE STATE OF THE STATE INSPECTION STAMP AND THE MANUFACTURER'S BRAND WITH THE ENCRYPTED YEAR OF BRANDING AND THE ENCRYPTED FACTORY NAME.
Fake gold standard
Not every rogue will dare to forge a sample of gold, since it is difficult and fraught with enormous risks. Usually, the fraud consists in affixing a high standard on a low-quality product that still contains gold. Such products can be bought in small shops all over the world, but by chance they can also be on sale in decent jewelry stores. A well-made fake sample is practically impossible to determine by eye, which is why it is necessary to check the alloy itself.
This can be helped by a portable device - a gold detector, which you can carry with you while shopping. It is worth remembering that the device may have its own limitations and errors, so you should not completely trust it.
Ways to recognize counterfeit jewelry
First you need to consider the jewel. It must have a special marking that is responsible for the authenticity of the gold. The fineness or carat weight must be stamped. To facilitate inspection, it is advisable to use a magnifying glass. It is not always possible to distinguish the stamp on antique metal. In the modern world, they have learned to put a test on fake gold, so this method is not always successful.
Over time, the gold plating wears off. It is necessary to look at the edges of the product. If another metal is noticeable in the places of abrasion, the product does not consist entirely of gold.
Checking the product for bite
Previously, films were often shown where gold coins were tested for a "tooth". And for good reason. After all, this way you can check not only coins, but also gold jewelry. For example, a ring or an earring. The product must be pressed with your teeth. Now look at him. There will be teeth marks on real gold. The deeper the bite, the higher the sample. However, we must not forget that lead is very soft, so there will be traces on it too.
Ceramic check
Fake gold is easy to spot using this method. This test must be done very carefully as it is easy to scratch. To do this, you need an unglazed ceramic plate, that is, not covered with anything. Swipe over it with gold, with a light pressure. What is visible? The gold stripe is a natural product, the black one is a fake decoration.
Magnetic check
First you need to purchase a magnet. The one that is hung on the refrigerator is very soft and is not suitable for dough. The magnet must be real, heavy, which interacts with the metal. Gold never attracts. Therefore, feel free to bring the jewel to the magnet. If she is attracted, then you are holding a real fake. There are times when a magnetically passive component is added to the product. Then you can confuse gold with a fake. How to distinguish gold in such cases? Try the following method.
The use of nitric acid
The nitric acid will help identify fake gold from the real one. To do this, place the product in a metal dish without stains. Next, you need to drop nitric acid onto the product from a pipette. If the gold changes color and becomes greenish, then you are conducting an experiment with an ordinary metal. The gilded product takes on a milky hue. If the gold is real, then there will be no reaction.
Sound test
If you take and throw a gold piece on the surface of the table, then real metal will sound loudly like crystal. For such an experience, rings, earrings, but short jewelry (chains, bracelets) are suitable.
Vinegar check
Pour some vinegar into a container and place the decoration there. Nothing bad will happen to real gold, but a fake will darken in two minutes.
Iodine test
Iodine is a very good test for the authenticity of a piece of jewelry. To do this, you just need to apply one drop to the inside of the product. Gold will remain unchanged. The fake jewelry will darken. It can turn either light gray or black.
ANY CHEMICAL INSPECTION IS POSSIBLE ONLY ON THE SURFACE OF THE DECORATION. THE INTERNAL IS CHECKED WHEN THE PERSON IS READY TO DESTROY THE PRODUCT.
You can also ask experts how to distinguish gold from a fake, who will help you quickly and using several methods to determine whether a jewel is real. Gilding is almost real metal.
Determining the gilding
Many consumers are wondering: "how to distinguish gold from gilding?" With the slightest knowledge, this is easy to do. Usually, a sample is not put on gilding. The gold alloy will not be able to lay on top of the metal. Only real noble metal will fit. If you see a product with samples: 585, 750, 350, 500 - this is gold with the addition of impurities. On a pure precious metal there can be only one test - 999. If gold foil was used, then another test can be put, besides those that are put on the real metal.
Important! A sample does not always guarantee the reliability of a product. Small scratches can sometimes be seen. This often means that the piece is not entirely gold, but only has a lock on or around the piece. Everything else may turn out to be gilded.
To check the jewelry yourself, you can lightly scrape the product on an inconspicuous area. The gilding will lag slightly, but the gold will remain unchanged.
A lapis pencil is also suitable for checking. It is sold in any pharmacy. The place of scraping must be moistened with water and drawn over it with a pencil. Any metal other than gold will darken.
A simple experiment can be done to test gold. Turn on the hotplate and heat the product over it strongly (300-400 degrees). Then quickly throw it into cold water. Gold will not change, but stains will appear on another metal.
You should never buy gold in questionable establishments and shops. These should be specialized jewelry departments with quality certificates and specialists. Indeed, some unscrupulous sellers refer to the fact that the sample is not put abroad. You cannot believe this. Any import of gold jewelry is not permitted without a stamp and appropriate documents.
Sometimes you come across products on which there is a 583rd test. Many do not know about her. These jewelry were made in Soviet times and counterfeits of such items are extremely rare. Therefore, if you come across 583 samples, do not be alarmed.
Recognizing copper
The famous scientist Aristotle believed that it is best to distinguish copper from real gold, to taste both. If you drink water from a metal cup that contains copper, then the taste will be metallic. The gold cup doesn’t have any taste.
Copper tends to oxidize when interacting with oxygen, that is, in air. Therefore, unlike gold, it will darken over time.
Imitation gold
A variety of alloys are used for fake gold jewelry.
Aluminum bronze that resembles gold in color. This alloy is 90% copper and 10% aluminum.
Aluminum bronze coin. Belgica - an alloy similar to platinum. It contains about 74% iron, about 16% chromium, and almost 9% nickel.
Mosaic gold, which contains almost 70% copper and 30% zinc. Gives a shade of native gold.
Tombac product. Tompac - This alloy is very similar to real gold. It is often brought by tourists from Turkey, Israel or China. If you do not know how to tell the difference between gold, it is better not to buy it in these countries.
There are a huge number of such alloys. Thanks to such materials, they learned to imitate real gold. Most often it is smuggled. Counterfeiting gold is very common. Try not to fall into the "trap".
How to avoid fraud?
In order not to buy a fake, you must adhere to simple rules.
You should not buy gold jewelry from merchants in markets, in dubious stalls, where there are no relevant documents. Sellers often offer fakes.
Do not trust your intuition, because it can fail at the most inopportune moment. Do not look that the product is too cheap - this does not mean that it is of high quality. Gold must be sampled without fail, even if it is made to order.
DO NOT BUY JEWELRY INCLUDED WITH TITANIUM GOLD ALLOY. BY APPEARANCE, THEY REMEMBER 585 GOLD, BUT MOST MUCH THERE IS NO PRECIOUS METAL IN THEM.
If there is a sample on the product or a tag hangs, this does not guarantee the content of the yellow metal. A poorly versed consumer will not always be able to distinguish a fake, even with the help of numerous experiments.
If the buyer knows the real price of the product and suddenly saw the same one, but cheaper, this does not always mean that there is a fake. It is necessary to pay not only to external data, but also to size, weight and manufacturer. It is from this data that prices vary. You can also get into a high-quality fake, which is extremely difficult to distinguish from a real precious metal.
Each jewelry professional has special equipment with which it is possible to determine the quality and price of the metal. Of course, the easiest way to learn how to distinguish gold from copper, for example, is advice from a professional. Let the service be paid, but the person will be confident in the authenticity of the jewelry.
How to check when buying a precious piece of jewelry for authenticity and compliance with the declared properties - the sample of the precious metal and the manufacturer? How to decipher the assay mark on a ringlet or earrings? And another question - what markings must be on a real piece of jewelry and where can you find them right away?
State assay mark
There is a heart of pure gold in Stas Mikhailov's repertoire (and even then as a metaphor), but not a precious coin and not a piece of jewelry. Gold and silver gizmos are durable and durable only due to the fact that they are made from alloys. True, the share of silver or gold in them often exceeds 95%.
The content of precious metal in products is called a breakdown. It is designated by a three-digit number, since it expresses the mass in 1000 parts of the alloy.
Sample control is the prerogative of the state. All jewelry sold or sold in Russia - whether it is domestically produced or imported - is marked with a hallmark.
Marking is not placed on:
- coins that have passed the issue;
- nuggets used in jewelry;
- state awards;
- gold leaf and silver;
- small notches with precious metal on caskets, vases and other valuable items.
In Russia, a certain list of samples of jewelry is valid:
375, 500, 583, 750 and 958 - for gold;
750, 800, 875, 916, 925 and 960 - silver;
950 - platinum;
500 and 850 - palladium.
Deciphering the hallmark
The assay mark is made up of two designations, which can be located either side by side or separately:
- the identity badge of our state is either a Soviet hammer and sickle in front and a star with five ends in the background, which are still relevant as an assay mark, or the profile of a woman in a kokoshnik, unfolded to the right;
- test sign.
Hallmark:
1 - Code of the state inspection of assay supervision
2 - Assay certificate mark
3 - Numerical designation of a sample of precious metal
Sketches of the hallmark on gold:
Silver assay clem sketches:
Name of the jewelry factory
The manufacturer's labeling (jewelry) must also be applied to jewelry. He is:
- sign identifying the jeweler (company or individual entrepreneur);
- designation of the year of manufacture.
Jewelry names are updated (in each new year), approved and registered by the Assay Office.
The plant's nameplate symbols are applied only side by side - placed in one outline.
Both markings are usually visible if they are
- the ring is inside;
- pendant - outside;
- earring, chain - with a clasp.
The year of release (marking) on the nameplate since 2001 is indicated by the first letter. For example, 2005 is the fifth letter of the alphabet "D".
The second letter indicates the location of the jewelry production.
And the following characters are the manufacturer's code. Following the recommendations of the Assay Office, jewelers use one or two Russian letters.
Decoding of the name
1 - code of the year
2 - code of the State Inspection of Assay Supervision, in the area of operation of which the manufacturer is located
3 - manufacturer's code
decoding by year: A - 2001, B - 2002, C - 2003, D - 2004, D - 2005, E - 2006, H - 2007, I - 2008
The second indicates the inspection of the assay area: L - North-West (no change)
|
Assay supervision inspections |
Location |
Ciphers on stamps |
|
1. Verkhne-Volzhskaya |
r / p Krasnoe-on-Volga, Kostroma region |
|
|
2. Volgo-Vyatka |
Nizhny Novgorod |
|
|
3. East Siberian |
Krasnoyarsk |
|
|
4. Far Eastern |
Khabarovsk |
|
|
5. Donskaya |
Rostov-on-Don |
|
|
6. Western |
pos. Yantarny, Kaliningrad region |
|
|
7. Transbaikal |
Ulan-Ude |
|
|
8. West Siberian |
Novosibirsk city |
|
|
9. Povolzhskaya |
||
|
10. Podmoskovnaya |
Bronnitsy, Moscow region |
|
|
11. Caspian |
Makhachkala |
|
|
Yakutsk |
||
|
13. North |
Veliky Ustyug, Vologda region |
|
|
14. Northwest |
St. Petersburg |
|
|
15. Ural |
Yekaterinburg city |
|
|
16. Central |
Moscow city |
The last characters identify the manufacturer (no change)
As you can see, by the nameplate and the assay mark you can really find out what any product intended for sale in Russia is.
In this material:
Gold is a metal that lends itself well to all kinds of mechanical damage, corrosion. To preserve the original appearance of the precious metal, other impurities are constantly added to it, in the overwhelming number of cases - metals that are more resistant to damage.
Master alloys are metals used to make gold more durable. Most often, silver or copper is used as a ligature. Pure gold (without containing any impurities) is highly susceptible to deformation, very much like simple plasticine.
Worldwide gold samples
Gold samples are special signs imposed by regulatory authorities around the world to guarantee the presence of gold in a piece of jewelry or other product.
In strict accordance with the current legislative framework, regulatory government bodies conduct strict supervision not only of jewelry stores, but also of all other institutions that are to some extent related to the sale of the precious metal. Therefore, before asking the pawnshop the price of one gram of gold, you should make sure that the institution has all the necessary licenses and certificates.
To date, four operating sampling systems have survived, but the most popular are: metric, carat, spool and lot samples.
Spool Sample System
Until 1927 in Russia, and after that in the USSR, a spool system was used to designate a precious metal sample. The key difference between this test and the carat system was the designation of a pure noble metal through the number 96. All other gold items containing an admixture of other metals were designated by other, lower numbers.
| Try | Spool system | British gold carats | Pure gold content (%) |
| 333 | 32 | 8K | 33.33 |
| 375 | 36 | 9K | 37.50 |
| 417 | 40 | 10K | 41.67 |
| 500 | 48 | 12K | 50.00 |
| 585 | 56 | 14K | 58.33 |
| 625 | 60 | 15K | 62.50 |
| 750 | 72 | 18K | 75.00 |
| 792 | 76 | 19K | 79.17 |
| 800 | 76.8 | 19.2K | 80.00 |
| 833 | 81 | 20K | 83.33 |
| 875 | 84 | 21K | 87.50 |
| 917 | 88 | 22K | 91.67 |
| 958 | 92 | 23K | 95.80 |
| 990 (or higher) | 96 | 24K | 99 (or higher) |
Karat sampling system
Based on the British carat system, one carat (K) is equivalent to the twenty-fourth part of the alloy. A similar sampling system is common in Switzerland, the United States of America, Canada and Western European countries. In Ireland, two sampling systems are used equally: carat and metric. The twenty-four carat (24K) noble metal is considered the purest. It is completely free of any other impurities. This is followed by 14-carat gold, which contains fourteen parts of the precious metal and ten parts of other metals.
Lot system of gold samples
A similar system existed in Germany until 1888 (before the use of the metric system). This type of gold sample is based on the mark circulating in the Middle Ages among the Celtic, Scandinavian and Germanic population of Britain. One stamp contained sixteen lots.
To convert a lot sample into a multiple, the values of the lot system must be divided by two, and then multiplied by three. In the case of conversion to the metric system, the value of the lot sample must be divided by sixteen and then multiplied by 1000.
Metric gold samples
In Russia, it is now customary to use the metric system of samples. This system is characterized by ease of use. In other words, the metric system shows how many grams of the noble metal are in one kilogram of the entire alloy. For example, if there are 415 grams of ligature and 585 grams of pure precious metal per kilogram of alloy, then according to the metric system, this jewelry will have 585 standard.
Russian jewelers use the following samples in the overwhelming majority of cases:
Previously, 583 samples of the precious metal were widely distributed, which, according to the metric system, corresponded to 14K. Then a proposal was made to slightly change the gold standard (due to the difference in the price of gold) from 583 to 585 fineness, so that Russian gold jewelry would not be inferior in value (per gram) to Western samples.
What sample should I buy?
Everyone in his life has visited a jewelry store at least once and bought gold jewelry. If this was not an acquisition for yourself, then it was a gift to loved ones, relatives and friends. In order not to panic and not get confused in jewelry stores, you need to imagine in advance for yourself: the cost of the desired product, its sample, shade and appearance.
Having a clear idea of this, the seller will not be able to take by surprise the question “gold ten carats, what is the sample?” If the store uses not the metric, but the carat sample system. You can always remember that ten carats equals 375 carat.
You should never chase more expensive gold jewelry, as well as dream of owning the noble metal with the highest fineness (999). It is not in vain that for more than one decade, people have preferred the 585 assay, which has proven itself in matters of strength and durability. 999 fineness items, although they have the highest gold content, are characterized by a strong degree of deformation and can become soft. Such products are short-lived, they are not suitable for permanent use.
Legislative regulation: conclusion
If gold was mined on the territory of the Russian Federation or intended for import, then it must contain a Russian standard and a state assay mark. Specialists of the Federal Assay Center monitor the compliance of the gold composition indicated in the sample, as well as its actual availability.
Responsible for quality control of noble metal in the Russian Federation is the Assay Office, which is an integral part of the Ministry of Finance. The stamp has its own distinctive designations. The Russian hallmark depicts a woman in a kokoshnik.
In addition to the state mark, a nameplate can be set on jewelry made of precious metal. This is a factory mark that confirms the presence of the manufacturer's name. The nameplate also indicates information such as the year the alloy was created, the first letter of the state inspection code.
Coin catalog
All existing coins can be found in our database using a convenient search.