Swedish Silver Marks: The Cat's Paw and Date Codes

If Danish silver is “Artist’s Romance,” then Swedish Silver is “Engineer’s Precision.”

According to authoritative charts (SilverCollection.it - Sweden), Sweden implements a state-controlled guarantee system. The core lies in the combination of the Cat’s Paw, the Hexagonal S, and a complete Date Code system. This makes dating Swedish silver incredibly precise.

🐾 The Core: Cat’s Paw (Three Crowns)

Whether it’s an 18th-century antique or a minimalist piece from the IKEA era, the first thing to look for is the National Control Mark.

• Symbol: Three Crowns arranged in an inverted triangle, enclosed in a rounded trefoil shape. Because the shape resembles a kitten’s paw pad, collectors affectionately call it the “Cat’s Paw”.
• Meaning: This is the Swedish Coat of Arms, used since 1901 to guarantee precious metal purity.
• Versions:
  • Large Cat’s Paw (Trefoil shape): Stamped by the National Assay Office (Riksmyntverket or SP), indicating Swedish standard (minimum 800, though 830/925 is common).
  • Oval Cat’s Paw (Oval shape): Typically used for Imported silver (from 1912 to 1988).

🇸 The Hexagonal S

Next to the Cat’s Paw, you will usually see the letter “S” inside a hexagonal frame.

• Meaning: Stands for Silver.
• Usage: It further confirms the item meets the minimum purity standard (Swedish standard is typically 830/1000).
  • Note: For Sterling 925 silver, “STERLING” or “925” is often stamped additionally.

📅 Swedish Date Codes

This is the highlight. The Swedish date code system has been running since 1759, combining a letter and a number (e.g., A9, B9). It has never been broken. Check the table, and you know the exact birth year.

Here are some common codes for modern vintage collection:

• L7 = 1913
• M8 = 1939
• G9 = 1957 (Golden Age of Mid-Century Modern)
• K9 = 1960
• H10 = 1982

🏙️ Town Marks

Besides the national mark, every Swedish city has its own badge. The most famous is the capital:

• Stockholm: Crowned Head of St. Eric.
  • Looking like a king’s portrait, this depicts the Patron Saint of Stockholm, St. Eric.
• Other Cities: Often represented by an initial letter, e.g., G for Göteborg, M for Malmö.

📝 Summary: The Formula

A standard Swedish hallmark strip is organized like code:

[Makers] [City] [Cat's Paw] [S] [Date]

1. [Makers]: Maker/Brand mark (e.g., GEWE, GAB).
2. [City]: Town mark (e.g., St. Eric’s Head for Stockholm).
3. [Cat’s Paw]: Three Crowns, mandatory!
4. [S]: Hexagonal S, confirms silver.
5. [Date]: Year code (e.g., D9 = 1954).

References

• SilverCollection.it - Swedish Hallmarks
• Swedac - Swedish Hallmarking History