Trial of the Pix

[Hussulo 6]

"No coin whatever is issued from the Mint until a portion of it has been assayed by the Queen's assayer. When that process has been gone through, one coin of each denomination is placed in a pix, or casket, sealed with three seals, and secured with three locks, the keys being separately kept by the Master of the Mint, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and the Queen's assayer; the pieces of coin so secured are given to a jury to assay and compare with the trial plates which are kept in the ancient treasury in the cloisters of Westminster Abbey, the keys of which and of the pix in which the trial plates are deposited are in the custody of the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Lords of the Treasury. The process of comparison is called the trial of the pix."

Peter Cunningham, Hand-Book of London, 1850

I recently purchased a manuscript referring to the trial of the pix dated 9th of March 1836.

[Hussulo 6]

[Hussulo 6]

[Hussulo 6]

It reads:

When folded up on the front first picture:

Order in Council for

the Tryal of the Pix of the

mint dated the 9th of March

1836 ~

Front page

At the Court at St. James's

the 9th of March 1836

Present

The Kings most Excellent Majesty

in council

It is this day ordered by His Majesty

in council. that the Lords of His Majesty's

Most Honourable Privy council do

meet at His Majesty's exchequer at

Westminster on Thursday the 24th of

this instant March at ten o'clock in

the forenoon for the Trial of His Majesty's

Coins in the Pix of the mint; and the

Right Honourable the Lord High Chancellor

of Great Britain and Ireland is to

require the wardens and company of

goldsmiths to give attendance on their

Lordships at the place aforesaid; and

the

Second page

The Right Honourable the Lords

Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury

are to direct the Warden Master Worker

and Commissioners of His Majesty's Mint

with the officers therein concerned to be

present.

I cannot decipher the signature

[£400 for a Penny ? 0]

Very interesting.

I know they did this with gold coins (to confirm they were 22 carat and the correct weight) did they do it with silver as well ?

It just refers to the company of goldsmiths...

[Hussulo 6]

Very interesting.

I know they did this with gold coins (to confirm they were 22 carat and the correct weight) did they do it with silver as well ?

It just refers to the company of goldsmiths...

Apparently according to Robert Matthews (former Queen's Assay Master at the Royal Mint.)

Who posted about it over on my forum:

"It ... included precious metal alloy coins and their replacement alloys e.g. cupro-nickel."

I always thought it was only done for gold and silver coins.