Over 7,900 coins pass Trial of the Pyx
The King’s Remembrancer, senior master cook of the Kings’ Bench Division of the High Court, has pronounced a positive verdict on the 7,960 coins submitted by The Royal Mint at the Trial of the Pyx.
Among the submissions were the series of eight new definitive coins, displaying designs of the flora and fauna of the British Isles.
They also mark the final stage in the transition between Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His Majesty King Charles III on British coinage.
The new commemorative coins this year included a pair of 5kg 24ct gold “Petition Crown” Masterpieces.
Created in tribute to the Petition Crown, the revered seventeenth-century work of engraver Thomas Simon, the coins bear either the “quartered arms” or “Charles II Effigy”.
The verdict marks the end of a three-stage process, which began in February, when a jury of Goldsmiths’ Company members carefully counted and weighed a randomly selected sample of all new coins (legal tender and commemorative coins) from the Royal Mint’s 2023 production.
After adjourning for three months to allow the Goldsmiths’ Company London Assay Office time to thoroughly test the coins, the King’s Remembrancer then delivers the verdict at Goldsmiths’ Hall, where both the Trial and the Verdict have taken place annually since 1871.
Charles Mackworth-Young, prime warden (Chairs the Board) of the Goldsmiths’ Company, said: “Today’s verdict underscores the importance of coins in the modern world: from the beautiful new King Charles III definitives, which remain a simple, portable, and reliable way of paying for goods and services; through to the stunning precious metal Masterpieces that represent the pinnacle of the engraver’s art.
“The pronouncement of a positive verdict, following robust scientific testing by the Goldsmiths’ Company London Assay Office, highlights the Royal Mint’s ongoing commitment to quality, accuracy and craftsmanship, and an assurance that the Goldsmiths’ Company continues to protect consumers by ensuring the integrity of their coinage – a responsibility that we have proudly held for more than 700 years.”
Anne Jessopp, chief executive and deputy master of The Royal Mint, added: “The Royal Mint has been making coins and working with precious metals for over a millennium, applying centuries of craftsmanship to produce coinage of the highest standards.
“His Majesty King Charles III’s new definitive coin designs were unveiled last year, celebrating flora and fauna from across the British Isles. We are delighted to see these new definitive designs, as well as coins marking Windrush and the NHS, pass the trial and take their place in history.”