The oldest locality marks featured here are from the 1600s. The oldest marks were based on a town's coat of arms. As a result, Hamina and Helsinki have very similar marks in appearance: a boat under a crown.

Later came the introduction of locality marks where the town was represented by letters. The mark was either the full name, abbreviation or initial. The same letters, such as L, were used for more than one place.

Locality marks were renewed in 1943, and since 2001 new locality marks have to be just a coat of arms. Previously approved marks may still be used.

Used by various smiths, locality marks may vary slightly in appearance to the images below, for example, the letters and figures in the details. This is due to the mark stamps being hand-made and also subject to wear.