This is a 9kt gold cigarette case, so sorry for being somewhat off-subject, but maybe someone can help… The object bears the assay office mark for Birmingham, the date letter “J” (which apparently corresponds to 1933), and the maker’s mark of William Neale & Son Ltd. However, there is no Jubilee mark, which was apparently optional only from February 1934. I assume that marks and date letters are the same for both silver and gold items. So did the date letter “J” extend into 1934? Any comments gratefully received - many thanks.
Although we assign the year 1933 to the Birmingham date letter J it is really a shorthand reference method and should really be 1933/34 as Birmingham date letters changed in July until 1975 when the four remaining British assay offices all started the new date letter on January 1st. Each assay office started its new date letter on different days for historical reasons. We can tell nothing from the absence of a jubilee mark as, as you mention, it was optional.
Phil
Many thanks Phil, that makes perfect sense now.