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Chapter II: Guarantee of gold, silver and platinum materials

Article 521 of the French General Tax Code

Manufacturers of gold, silver or platinum articles are subject to the guarantee legislation provided for in this chapter, not only in respect of their own production but also for articles which they have had made on their behalf by third parties with materials which may or may not belong to them. Persons who place such articles on the market from other Member States of the European Union and from third…

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Article 522 of the French General Tax Code

The legal titles of gold works and the legal titles of silver or platinum works are as follows: a) 999 thousandths, 916 thousandths, 750 thousandths, 585 thousandths and 375 thousandths for gold articles; b) 999 thousandths, 925 thousandths and 800 thousandths for silver articles; c) 999 thousandths, 950 thousandths, 900 thousandths and 850 thousandths for platinum articles. Iridium associated with platinum is counted as platinum. No negative tolerance of title…

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Article 523 of the French General Tax Code

The guarantee of the title is attested by the hallmark applied to each coin in accordance with the following procedures: a) Either by affixing a metal guarantee hallmark manufactured and marketed by the Monnaie de Paris under the conditions set out in the article L. 121-3 of the Monetary and Financial Code; b) Or by laser marking with a hallmark authorised by the competent administrative authority under conditions laid down…

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Article 524 of the French General Tax Code

The works are marked with two hallmarks: the maker’s hallmark and the title hallmark, known as the guarantee hallmark. The maker’s hallmark is in the form of a diamond containing an initial letter of his name and the symbol chosen by him. It may be engraved by such artist as he pleases to choose. The guarantee hallmark is affixed: a. Either by the customs and excise authorities; b. Or by…

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Article 524 bis of the French General Tax Code

Exempt from the guarantee hallmark are: a) Articles made before 1838 and those made after that date already bearing former French guarantee hallmarks; b) Articles containing gold, silver or platinum and weighing less than thresholds set by decree; c) Articles that cannot withstand the imprint of the hallmarks without deterioration; d) Works brought into national territory from another Member State of the European Community or imported from another State party…

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Article 526 of the French General Tax Code

It is forbidden to hold or offer for sale works marked with false hallmarks or stolen hallmarks (1) or on which the hallmark marks are found attached, soldered or counter-stamped. These works will be seized in all cases.

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Article 530 of the French General Tax Code

When the title of a work brought to the mark to the guarantee service or the approved inspection body is found to be lower than the declared legal title, a new test may be carried out if the owner so requests. When the new test confirms the result of the first, the work is, at the owner’s choice, either returned to the owner after being broken in his presence, or…

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Article 531 of the French General Tax Code

If the assayer assumes that a work of gold, vermeil, silver, platinum is filled with iron, copper or any other foreign material, he has it cut in the presence of the owner. If the fraud is recognised, the work is seized without prejudice to the applicable penalties; if the fraud is not recognised the damage is paid to the owner by the administration.

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Article 533 of the French General Tax Code

Manufacturers of gold, silver and platinum articles are required to make themselves known to the office of guarantee on which they depend and to have their particular hallmark inscribed there, with their name on a copper plate for that purpose. The guarantee office shall ensure that the same symbol is not used by several manufacturers. If they manufacture articles which are to benefit from the guarantee, they must indicate, in…

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