AUSTRIA 
1366  Two Austrian Princes (Albrecht and Leopold ) issued a decree on assaying precious metals. Two guild masters were appointed to test the fineness, both being under the supervision of the master of the mint. 
1659  Patent of Emperor Leopold I allowed work in 14 lot silver. 
1708  Patent of Emperor Joseph I (known as the Augsburger und Wiener-Probe) permitted a fineness of 13 lots and 14 lots
1737  Patent of Emperor Charles VI introduced a fineness standard of 15 lots
1774  Patent of Empress Maria Theresa illustrated the hallmarks that were to be used. 
1784  State control of the standard of fineness began in Austria, starting in Vienna. 
1786  State  control of fineness was introduced in Galicia (see Poland). 
1806  A regulated state system of marking throughout the entire Austro-Hungarian Empire was introduced, except for Hungary,  Slovakia (under Hungarian domination), and Transylvania 
1866  From 1 August a new standard of hallmarks and marks of fineness for silver, calculated in thousandths instead of the previous lot system was introduced.  These hallmarks were  now also used in Hungary.   Permitted fineness standards are   950,  900,  800 and 750/1000. 
1872  The marks in use were altered so that the letter indicating the seat of the assay office became part of the standard mark. These marks were used in part of Yugoslavia until 1919, in part of Poland until 1920, in the Austrian Republic until 1921, in Czechoslovakia until 1922, and in Hungary until 1937 
1921   Marks of the new Austrian Republic came into force with the law of 21 October