Trial of the Pyx

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The Trial of the Pyx is a centuries-old ceremonial and legal procedure in the United Kingdom in which newly minted coins are rigorously tested for quality and accuracy to ensure they meet required standards.


Statements (46)

Predicate Object
instanceOf ceremony
coinage trial
legal procedure
appliesTo coins minted by the Royal Mint
ceremonialAspect attendance by officials of the Royal Mint and Goldsmiths’ Company
conducted with formal court procedures
country United Kingdom
ensures compliance of coins with statutory standards
public confidence in the coinage
field British law
metrology
numismatics
frequency annual
hasPart assaying of metal fineness
formal verdict on the coinage
jury deliberation
selection of sample coins from production batches
weighing of coins
heritageStatus one of the oldest judicial ceremonies in the United Kingdom
inception at least the reign of Henry III
jurisdiction England and Wales
language English
legalBasis Coinage Act
location Guildhall
surface form: Goldsmiths’ Hall

Guildhall
London, England
surface form: London

City of Westminster
surface form: Westminster
overseenBy The Queen’s Remembrancer
a jury of freemen of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths
participant The Queen’s Remembrancer
Royal Mint
surface form: The Royal Mint

The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths
purpose to ensure coins meet required standards of weight and fineness
to test newly minted coins for quality and accuracy
relatedTo British coinage
Royal Mint
startTime 13th century
supervisingBody Royal Mint
surface form: The Royal Mint
testedProperty composition of coins
diameter of coins
metal fineness of coins
quality of striking
weight of coins
usesObject Pyx box
assay balances
trial plates

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Warden of the Royal Mint seeAlso Trial of the Pyx