First King Charles III coins pass the Trial of the Pyx

11 May 2023

Today at Goldsmiths’ Hall in the City of London, the King’s Remembrancer, Senior Master Barbara Fontaine, has pronounced a positive verdict on the nearly 10,000 coins submitted by The Royal Mint at the Trial of the Pyx in February, which included the first official UK coins bearing His Majesty King Charles III’s official effigy.

This year’s Trial of the Pyx has marked a significant moment in history, with The Royal Mint submitting the first official UK coins bearing His Majesty King Charles III’s official portrait and the largest coin they have created to date - a 15kg masterpiece created in celebration of Her Late Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. It is the first time that coins bearing the effigies of two monarchs have tried at the same time for several decades.

While the primary responsibility of The Royal Mint is to strike the United Kingdom’s coins, the 1,100-year-old organisation also draws on its unrivalled knowledge of precious metals and spectacular pool of British craftsmanship to create bespoke masterpieces, like the 15-kilo gold coin. A sample of all new coins struck by The Royal Mint are submitted to the Trial of the Pyx - one of the nation’s longest-established judicial ceremonies, dating back to the 12th Century - each year, where they are rigorously checked for fineness, quality and accuracy. Today’s verdict marks the end of a three-stage process, which started in February, when a jury of goldsmiths carefully counted and weighed a selection of new coins (legal tender and commemorative coins) taken at random from the Royal Mint’s 2023 production line. After adjourning for three months to allow the Goldsmiths’ Company Assay Office time to thoroughly test the coins, the Queen’s Remembrancer then delivers the verdict at Goldsmiths’ Hall, where both the Trial and the Verdict have taken place annually since 1871.

The Trial fulfils a legal requirement imposed by an Act of Parliament (Coinage Act 1971) to conduct an examination by jury to ascertain that the coins of the realm, produced by the Royal Mint, are of the correct weight, size, and composition. As

Master of the Royal Mint, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, is held responsible for the outcome.

Anne Jessopp, Chief Executive of The Royal Mint said,

Precious metals and craftsmanship are at the heart of everything we do at The Royal Mint. With a history of minting the nations coinage for 1,100 years, we pride ourselves on producing coinage of the highest possible standards, which includes the circulating coins found in our pockets through to large masterwork coins, made from precious metals and requiring exceptional skill and craftsmanship to produce. As the CEO, I am incredibly proud that this year’s trial marks a new chapter in our history of minting British coins as we transition to see His Majesty King Charles III’s portrait appear on all coinage and following today’s verdict, we are proud to continue our long history of producing only the highest quality coinage and showcasing our spectacular minting expertise.

Paul Morgan, His Majesty The King’s Assay Master at The Royal Mint said, 

As The Royal Mint, quality, accuracy and precision of our coinage is of highest importance. No other Mint across the world puts its coinage through such rigorous testing, and this year’s Trial of the Pyx marks a new chapter in history as His Majesty King Charles III’s official UK coinage passes trial for the first time. It is also my first year in the role as The King’s Assay Master, so I am delighted with the verdict and we are honoured to be a part of the UK’s oldest judicial ceremony.

Prime Warden of the Goldsmiths’ Company, Lord Bridges, commenting on the verdict today said:

Today’s verdict highlights the importance of coins in the modern world: both as currency found in piggybanks, pockets and purses, and as beautiful commemorative mementos that celebrate significant people, occasions and events. It 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.

Learn more about The Trial of the Pyx

Source: Goldsmiths’ Company