RECYCLED SILVER PASSES TRIAL OF THE PYX

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V28 2025 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 28, Number 20, 2025, Article 21

The verdict is in - those silver coins made from expired medical and industrial x-ray films have passed the Trial of the Pyx. -Editor

The King's Remembrancer, Senior Master Cook of the Kings' Bench Division of the High Court, has today pronounced a positive verdict on the 6,432 coins submitted in February by The Royal Mint at the Trial of the Pyx – one of the United Kingdom's oldest judicial processes.

Among the submissions was a silver sixpence made from silver recovered from expired medical and industrial x-ray films. Reintroduced by The Royal Mint in 2016 as a decimal coin, the silver sixpence is traditionally thought to bring luck and good fortune when given as a gift at weddings, birthdays, christenings and anniversaries. The x-ray silver sixpence was released in a limited run to promote the revival of "Stir Up Sunday" – a Victorian tradition where a silver sixpence would be placed into the Christmas pudding mix, before family members took turns to stir the pudding and make a wish – their production forms part of the Mint's commitment to pioneering sustainability across its businesses.

Today's 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 from The Royal Mint's 2024 production. After adjourning for three months to allow the 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.

The Trial - which was first conducted in 1248 - 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, Rachel Reeves, is held responsible for the outcome.

Richard Reid, Prime Warden (Chairs the Board) of the Goldsmiths' Company commented:

"Today's verdict – which follows robust scientific testing by the London Assay Office – highlights the Royal Mint's dedication to quality, accuracy and craftsmanship, and underscores the Goldsmiths' Company's centuries long commitment to protect consumers by ensuring the integrity of their coinage – a responsibility that we have proudly held for more than 700 years."

"The Trial of the Pyx has tested the integrity and quality of Britain's coinage for centuries and is an important part of our history. Our future focuses on bringing sustainability to the fore in our industry, and for the first time coins crafted from silver recovered from medical and industrial x-rays were submitted to the Trial for testing. The successful verdict at this year's Trial of the Pyx reaffirms the exceptional standards that have defined The Royal Mint for over 1,100 years."

Dan Thomas, Head of Lifestyle Operations at The Royal Mint and The King's Assay Master said:

"The Trial of the Pyx stands as one of our nation's most significant protections of standards, and I am pleased to report that the coins examined have successfully met the exacting requirements prescribed by law. In my role as King's Assay Master, I've witnessed first-hand the meticulous testing of weight, composition and dimensions that each coin must pass. This successful verdict isn't merely procedural; it ensures that the public can have absolute confidence in the integrity of our coinage."