~18th-19th century

Viipuri 2360Viipuri 2361Viipuri 2362Viipuri 2363Viipuri 2364Viipuri 2365Viipuri 2366Viipuri 2367Viipuri 2368Viipuri 2369Viipuri 2370Viipuri 2371Viipuri 2372Viipuri 2373Viipuri 2374Viipuri 2375Viipuri 2376Viipuri 2377Viipuri 2378Viipuri 2379Viipuri 2380Viipuri 2381Viipuri 2382Viipuri 2383Viipuri 2384Viipuri 2385Viipuri_4

 

~20th century

Viipuri_2Viipuri_1Viipuri_3

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.