GOLDSMITHS AND SILVERSMITHS ġ S.L.46.03 1
SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 46.03
GOLDSMITHS AND SILVERSMITHS 
REGULATIONS 
1st February, 1969
LEGAL NOTICE 75 of 1968, as amended by: Legal Notices 1 and 29 of
1972, 148 of 1975, and 38 of 1982; and Act  XIII of 1983.
Title. 
Silversmiths Regulations. 
Interpretation.
requires-
"artificer" means a person licensed to act as goldsmith or
silversmith;
"consul" means any of the consuls for Goldsmiths and
Silversmiths;
"Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Inland Revenue;
"Minister" means the Minister responsible for finance;
Cap. 46.
S.L. 35.01
(Weighing, Valuing, Assaying and Marking of Gold and Silver
Articles) Regulations, by any other regulations which may from
time to time, amend or substitute such regulations.
Assaying and 
stamping of gold 
and silver articles.
Amended by:
L.N. 29 of 1972.
3. (1) ( a ) Any artificer who presents gold or silver works to the
consul for the verification of their fineness and for
their stamping shall at the same time submit a ticket in
duplicate in the form set out in Form A of the Schedule
to these Regulations, which ticket signed by him shall
indicate the quality, description and weight of the
articles and the quality and quantity of the solder used;
he shall moreover declare on the ticket that the articles
have been made by him, or under his supervision, from
a homogenous substance.
( b ) All commercially imported gold or silver articles shall,
prior to release, be forwarded by the Comptroller of
Customs to the consul for the verification of their
fineness and for their stamping. The importer, through
the Comptroller of Customs, shall at the same time
forward to the consul a ticket in triplicate, duly signed
by the importer and by the Comptroller, in the form set
out in Form B contained in the Schedule.
(2) The consul, on receiving any articles for the purposes
mentioned in sub-regulation (1) of this regulation, shall verify their
weight and number and shall then append his signature to the two
tickets, one of which shall be delivered to the artificer as a receipt
for the articles, unless these are returned to him either stamped or
broken up.
2 ġ S.L.46.03 GOLDSMITHS AND SILVERSMITHS
(3) The artificer may, for the purposes of paragraph ( a )   of sub-
regulation (1) of this regulation, delegate a person, approved by the
Commissioner, to attend on the consul in his stead, provided that
the Commissioner may, whenever he deems it necessary, require
the artificer to attend personally.
Articles which may 
be presented for 
assaying and 
stamping.
Amended by:
L.N. 29 of 1972.
4. No articles shall be presented for the verification of their
fineness and for stamping while still in course of manufacture,
unless work on them is so far advanced as to prevent their standard
being changed on completion.
Commissioner to 
determine manner 
and number of 
assays.
5. The Commissioner may direct the consul to carry out as to
many assays as he may deem necessary for the purpose of
ascertaining the fineness of any articles submitted for assay and
may, in each case, determine whether the assay should be made by
means of the process of cupellation or by the wet process.
Taking of parts of 
articles for 
verification.
Amended by:
L.N. 29 of 1972.
6. (1) The consul may, in his discretion, unless otherwise
directed by the Commissioner, take from one or more parts of any
article of which he is to verify the fineness such quantity of metal
as is required for the assaying thereof and shall take care to cause
the least possible damage to each such article by taking the metal
from the spot indicated by the Commissioner.
(2) The consul shall return the article in the state in which it is
found after the assay.
Assays to be 
registered by 
consuls.
Amended by:
L.N. 29 of 1972.
7. (1) The consul shall keep a register in which he shall enter
the particulars stated in the tickets presented to him with the
articles to be stamped, and, when the assay is completed, shall enter
in the register his declaration of the result, the date of his
declaration and his signature. 
(2) The consul’s register shall not be accessible to the public.
Breaking up of 
articles inferior to 
the lowest 
standard.
Amended by:
L.N. 29 of 1972.
8. (1) Subject to the provisions of article 6 of the Ordinance,
the breaking up of an article which the consul may refuse to stamp
owing to its being inferior to the lowest legal standard shall not
take place prior to the lapse of eight days from the day on which the
declaration of the consul to such effect shall have been
communicated by the Commissioner to the artificer or importer of
the article, as the case may be. 
(2) When criminal proceedings are instituted against an
artificer in accordance with article 7 of the Ordinance, the breaking
up of the article produced for stamping and found to conceal
heterogeneous substances or not found to be of a homogeneous
substance shall not take place before the judgment of the court in
such proceedings has become final.
Application for 
second assay.
Amended by:
L.N. 29 of 1972.
9. (1) If the artificer or the importer as the case may be, is not
satisfied with the decision of the Commissioner that any article is
inferior to the standard claimed by him, he may, within seven days
from the day on which the declaration of the consul is
communicated to him by the Commissioner, apply to the Minister
for the grant of a second assay.
GOLDSMITHS AND SILVERSMITHS ġ S.L.46.03 3
(2) When an application for a second assay is made, the
Commissioner shall direct the consul to suspend the stamping or
the breaking up of the article, as the case may be, until the Minister
decides as to whether the second assay is to take place.
(3) If the Minister decides that a second assay is to take place,
the Commissioner shall direct the consul to suspend further the
stamping or the breaking up of the article, as the case may be, until
the lapse of eight days from the date on which the result of the
second assay has been communicated to the person who shall have
asked for a second assay and, if within that period the result of the
second assay is challenged before the competent court in
accordance with the provisions of these Regulations, the
Commissioner shall again direct the consul to suspend the stamping
or breaking up of the article, as the case may be, until the judgment
of the court on such challenge becomes final.
Board to conduct 
second assay and 
deposit of relative 
fees.
Amended by:
L.N. 29 of 1972;
XIII.1983.5.
10. (1) The second assay, which shall be carried out in the
presence of the person applying for it if he so requires, shall be
conducted by a Board made up of the Professor of Chemistry of the
University of Malta or some other expert duly authorised by the
Minister (in either case assisted by the consul) and an experienced
artificer appointed by the Minister.
(2) In every case in which the Minister decides for the holding
of a second assay, the person requiring such second assay shall
deposit in the office of the consul the amount of twenty-five cents
for the assaying of a gold article and the amount of twelve cents
five mils for the assaying of a silver article, besides a fee of one lira
and five cents for each person, other than the consul, forming part
of the Board.
Judicial challenge 
of second assay. 
Amended by:
L.N. 29 of 1972;
L.N. 148 of 1975.
11. (1) The result of a second assay carried out in accordance
with the provisions of these Regulations shall be final unless such
result is challenged by writ of summons filed before the Civil Court
within eight days from the date on which the result shall have been
communicated to the person asking for such second assay; such
result shall, in any case, be entered in the consul’s register together
with the declaration entered therein in accordance with the
provisions of regulation 8.
(2) When the result of a second assay carried out by the Board
shows that the consul’s declaration was erroneous, the
Commissioner shall reimburse to the person asking for the second
assay the amounts deposited by him in accordance with regulation
10 and shall direct the consul to proceed with the stamping of the
article.
Process when 
regular assay is 
impracticable.
12. When the Commissioner determines that an assay by
means of the process of cupellation or by the wet process is
impracticable, the assay shall be made by means of the touchstone
and of the samples of gold points furnished by the Inland Revenue
Department.
4 ġ S.L.46.03 GOLDSMITHS AND SILVERSMITHS
Stamps for gold 
and silver articles.
Substituted by: 
L.N. 29 of 1972;
L.N. 38 of 1982.
13. (1) The stamp for gold articles manufactured in these
Islands and having a standard of fineness of 916 or 750 shall be the
impression of the Mural Crown with a Sally Port the embattlements
turreted of eight octagonal turrets, and for those having a standard
fineness of 585 or 375 shall be the impression of the Shield of
Malta; such articles shall moreover be stamped with the Arabic
numerals 916, 750, 585 or 375, as the case may be, to indicate the
fineness of the metal.
(2) The stamp for silver articles manufactured in these Islands
shall be the impression of a Maltese Cross and of the Arabic
numerals 959, 925, 875 or 800, as the case may be, indicating the
fineness of the metal.
(3) The stamp for commercially imported gold or silver articles
shall be as determined by the Minister from time to time under the
provisions of article 10 of the Ordinance.
(4) A mark indicating the period of the stamping of the gold or
silver article shall also be affixed. The mark shall bear such
combination of two letters of the alphabet in small cursive script as
may from time to time be determined by the Commissioner.
Consul’s 
responsibility.
14. When the consul affixes the stamp to any gold or silver
articles he shall be responsible for damages if it shall be proved
that any such article is inferior by more than three-thousandths in
proportion to the degree of fineness required for the affixing of the
stamp according to the provisions of article 4 of the Ordinance.
Weighing and 
valuing of gold and 
silver articles.
Amended by:
L.N. 29 of 1972.
15. (1) Before making any valuation of gold or silver articles,
the consul shall test the fineness of the metal.
(2) With regard to gold and silver works, the consul shall base
his valuation on the price of pure gold or silver as is, from time to
time, fixed by the Minister under the provisions of article 13 of the
Ordinance. 
Issue of ticket 
Form C.
16. (1) When a gold or silver article has been weighed and
valued, the consul shall issue from a counterfoil book a ticket in the
form set out in Form C of the Schedule, which ticket shall contain
such particulars as the Commissioner may, from time to time,
consider necessary.
(2) The consul shall keep a register for the purpose of entering
therein the particulars of any ticket issued by him under the
provisions of sub-regulation (1) of this regulation.
Approximate 
valuations.
17. (1) If any gold or silver article presented for valuation
contains, or is attached to, stones or other matter which cannot be
detached without considerable damage, the consul may weigh the
whole article, and the weight of the metal may be indicated
approximately in the ticket above referred to whenever the consul
can make such approximate valuation.
(2) In any case as is envisaged in sub-regulation (1) of this
regulation, the consul shall state on the said ticket that the weight
and the value are only approximate,
GOLDSMITHS AND SILVERSMITHS ġ S.L.46.03 5
Market price 
values in certain 
cases.
18.  Gold and silver articles set with diamonds or other
precious stones shall be valued approximately, according to the
market price on the date of the valuation..
Responsibility of 
consul.
19. The consul shall be responsible for the accuracy of the
weight and of the value stated by him on the ticket referred to in
regulation 16.
Issue of ticket 
Form D.
20. Whenever the consul is required only to weigh any gold or
silver articles, he shall issue from a counterfoil book a ticket in the
form set out in Form D of the Schedule.
Artificer to be 
licensed.
Substituted by:
L.N. 1 of 1972.
21. No person shall be granted a licence by the Commissioner
of Police under article 9(1) of the Ordinance unless he -
( a ) is eighteen years old; 
( b ) is of good character; 
( c ) can read and write;
( d ) is recommended by the Commissioner as possessing
theoretical and practical knowledge of the alloy
metals:
Provided that the Commissioner may, if he deems
it necessary, subject any applicant to an interview and/
or test before making his recommendation.
6 ġ S.L.46.03 GOLDSMITHS AND SILVERSMITHS
Amended by:
L.N. 38 of 1982.
SCHEDULES
FORM A
(Regulation 3)
FORM OF TICKET TO BE FILLED BY THE ARTIFICER 
UNDER REGULATION 3 OF THE GOLDSMITHS AND 
SILVERSMITHS REGULATIONS
No...........................
Note of Articles presented today by the undersigned to the
Consul for Goldsmiths and Silversmiths, for verification of
fineness, and for stamping, in accordance with the Goldsmiths and
Silversmiths Ordinance and with regulation 3 of the Goldsmiths
and Silversmiths Regulations.
Description of Articles:  
Quality
Fineness
Weight ...... ...... Grammes (a) 
Solder used ...... Grammes (a) .....
Total and Value ...... Grammes Lm .....
I hereby declare that the articles above-mentioned were made by*
me/under my supervision from a homogeneous substance, and that
I am aware of all the consequences to which, according to law, I
might be liable, in case this statement is found to be false.
( a ) State Carat or Millims
Date 
Signature
* Cancel which is not applicable
GOLDSMITHS AND SILVERSMITHS ġ S.L.46.03 7
Added by:
L.N. 29 of 1972.
FORM B
(Regulation 3)
Nru .................................................
No.
Nota ta’ oġġetti ppreżentati llum mill-Kontrollur tad-Dwana, lill-
Konslu tad-Deheb u tal-Fidda għall-verifika tat-titolu u għall-boll,
skond l-artikolu 3(1)(b) ta’ l-Ordinanza dwar il-Ħaddiema tad-
Deheb u tal-Fidda - Arġentiera u r-regolament 3(1)(b) tar-
Regolamenti dwar tad-Deheb u tal-Fidda.
Note of articles presented today by the Comptroller of Customs
to the Consul of Goldsmiths and Silversmiths, for verification of
fineness, and for stamp, in accordance with article 3(1)( b ) of the
Goldsmiths and Silversmiths Ordinance and with regulation 3(1)( b )
of the Goldsmiths and Silversmiths Regulations.
Deskrizzjoni ta’ l-oġġetti.
Description of Articles
Nru. ta’ l-oġġetti.
No. of Articles
Nru. totali ta’ l-oġġetti.
Total No. of Articles
Data
Date
Firma ta’ l-Importatur .........................
Importer’s signature
Firma tal-Kontrollur tad-Dwana ..............
Comptroller of Customs’ signature
Firma tal-Konslu ................................
Consul’s signature
8 ġ S.L.46.03 GOLDSMITHS AND SILVERSMITHS
FORM C
(Regulation 16)
FORM OF TICKET TO BE ISSUED BY THE CONSUL FOR 
GOLDSMITHS AND SILVERSMITHS ON WEIGHING AND 
VALUING OF LOCALLY MANUFACTURED JEWELLERY 
UNDER REGULATION 16 OF THE GOLDSMITHS AND 
SILVERSMITHS REGULATIONS.
OFFICE OF THE CONSUL 
for
GOLDSMITHS & SILVERSMITHS 
Merchants Street, Valletta.
Name ...............................................................
Address ............................................................
................................................................
I, the undersigned, Consul for Goldsmiths and Silversmiths, do
hereby declare to have this day weighed and valued the following
articles, under the provisions of the Goldsmiths and Silversmiths
Ordinance and the Goldsmiths and Silversmiths Regulations.
Description of Articles
QUALITY ..................... STANDARD OF METAL ...................
WEIGHT OF METAL
(APPROX/GROSS) ... ... Grammes
 
.................... liri  .................... cents 
Consul for Goldsmiths & Silversmiths.
VALUE Lm c
FEE PAID
GOLDSMITHS AND SILVERSMITHS ġ S.L.46.03 9
FORM D
(Regulation 20)
FORM OF TICKET TO BE ISSUED BY THE CONSUL FOR 
GOLDSMITHS AND SILVERSMITHS ON WEIGHING GOLD 
AND SILVER ARTICLES UNDER REGULATION 20 OF THE 
GOLDSMITHS AND SILVERSMITHS REGULATIONS
No. OFFICE OF THE CONSUL
FOR GOLDSMITHS AND
SILVERSMITHS 
Date19 Merchants Street, 
Valletta, 19 .........
Name
Articles I, the undersigned, Consul for
Goldsmiths and Silversmiths, do
hereby declare to have this day
weighed the following articles,
under the provisions of the
Goldsmiths and Silversmiths
Ordinance and the Goldsmiths
and Silversmiths Regulations.
Description of Articles 
Quality Quality
Standard of Metal Standard of Metal
Weight Grammes  Weight of Metal Grammes
FEE Fee paid
Consul for Goldsmiths and
Silversmiths
