Citation and commencement

1. This Order may be cited as the Trial of the Pyx (Amendment) Order 1998, and shall come into force on 12th February 1998.

Amendment of the principal Order

2.-(1) The Trial of the Pyx Order 1975(2) shall be amended in accordance with the following paragraphs of this article:-

(2) In Article 2(1), before the definition of "coins ready for issue", there shall be insesrted-

""bimetallic coin" means a coin with joined inner and outer sections, one section being made of cupro-nickel and the other of nickel brass;

"gold-plated silver coin" means a silver coin plated wholly or partly with gold;".

(3) In Article 3(1), for subparagraphs (d) and (e), there shall be substituted-

"(d)one coin out of every 3,000 gold-plated silver coins ready for issue;

(e)(i)one coin out of every 5,000 cupro-nickel coins of a denomination of ten pence or less ready for issue; and

(ii)one coin out of every 20,000 cupro-nickel coins of a denomination of ten pence or less ready for issue;

• Provided that where in any year the total number of cupro-nickel coins subject to trial is less than 250 million, one coin out of every 5,000 such cupro-nickel coins shall be selected at random and set aside, irrespective of the denomination of those coins;

(f)one coin out of every 5,000 nickel brass coins ready for issue; and

(g)one coin out of every 5,000 bimetallic coins ready for issue.

Provided always that the Deputy Master of the Mint shall ensure that of the coins ready for issue not less than ten coins of each denomination, other than silver Maundy coins, and, in the case of silver Maundy coins, not less than ten such coins, shall be selected at random and set apart, irrespective of the number of such coins that are ready for issue.".

(4) In article 3(2), for the words "gold coins, silver Maundy coins, other silver coins, cupro-nickel and nickel brass coins" there shall be substituted-

• "gold coins, silver Maundy coins, other silver coins, gold-plated silver coins, cupro-nickel coins, nickel brass coins and bimetallic coins".

(5) After Article 9 (Trial of silver coins other than Maundy coins) the following Article shall be inserted-

"Trial of gold-plated silver coins

9A.-(1) For the purpose of the trial of the gold-plated silver coins, the jury shall follow the procedure for silver coins set out in Article 9(1)-(5) above.

(2) In assaying the coins, the jury shall-

(a)compare the metal of the coins other than the gold-plating with the standard trial plate of silver so as to ascertain whether the metal is on the whole within the permitted variation from the standard fineness; and

(b)ascertain whether the gold-plating is on the whole within the permitted variation from the standard weight.".

(6) After Article 10A (Trial of nickel brass coins) the following Article shall be inserted-

"Trial of bimetallic coins

10B.-(1) For the purposes of the trial of the bimetallic coins, the jury shall follow the procedure for nickel brass coins set out in Article 10A(1)-(5) and (7)-(9) above.

(2) In assaying the coins, the jury shall-

(a)compare the cupro-nickel sections of the coins with the standard trial plates of copper and nickel so as to ascertain whether the metal of the coins is on the whole within the permitted variation from the standard composition; and

(b)compare the nickel brass sections of the coins with the standard trial plates of copper, nickel and zinc so as to ascertain whether the metal of the coins is on the whole within the permitted variation from the standard composition.".

(7) In Article 11(1), the following subparagraphs shall be inserted-

(a)after subparagraph (f)-

"(fa)whether each group of gold-plated silver coins which has been weighed in bulk is on the whole within the permitted variation from the standard weight;

(fb)whether such of the gold-plated silver coins as have been assayed are on the whole within the permitted variation from the standard fineness and, in relation to the gold-plating, within the permitted variation from the standard weight;" and

(b)after subparagraph (l)-

"(m)whether each group of bimetallic coins weighed in bulk is on the whole within the permitted variation from the standard weight;

(n)whether the bimetallic coins assayed are on the whole within the permitted variations from the standard compositions in relation to their inner and outer sections;

(o)whether the average diameter of the bimetallic coins measured is on the whole within the permitted variation from the standard diameter.".

(8) For Schedule 2, there shall be substituted-

Article 5(1)

"SCHEDULE 2FORM OF OATH TO BE ADMINISTERED TO THE JURY

You shall well and truly, after your knowledge and discretion, make the assays of these moneys of gold, silver, cupro-nickel and nickel brass, and truly report if the said moneys be in weight and fineness or composition according to the standard weights for weighing and testing the coins of the realm, and the standard trial plates of gold, silver, copper, nickel and zinc in the custody of the Secretary of State and used for determining the justness of the gold, silver, gold-plated silver, cupro-nickel, nickel brass, and bimetallic coinage of the realm, and be in conformity with the Coinage Act 1971 or any proclamation in force in pursuance of that Act; and if the diameter of such of these coins as are of cupro-nickel and nickel brass be in conformity with that Act or any such proclamation as aforesaid; so help you God."

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order amends the Trial of the Pyx Order 1975 by providing for the trial of certain bimetallic coins and gold-plated silver coins.