Set of Two “Trial Plate” 916.7 Fine Gold Bars from the 2023 Trial of the Pyx. Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III. 855.00g Total Gold Weight. Containing over 27 troy ounces in gold, this bespoke set of 916.7 Fine Trial Plate bars represents an incredible treasure for a top-tier collector and grants access to over seven centuries of British numismatic history.
The front of each bar is stamped with the monarchs official coinage effigy including the final portrait of Queen Elizabeth II designed by Jody Clark and the current portrait of King Charles III by Martin Jennings. The Queens effigy was featured on many issues tested during the 2023 Trial of the Pyx, while the Kings effigy was specifically taken from the 2022 Sovereign coin. At the center is engraved the details of the bar and the circumstances surrounding its creation which reads:
This standard (commixed of 916.7 Parts of Fine Gold and 88.3 Parts of Alloy in 1000 Parts by weight) was independently tested as part of the Trial of the Pyx 2023 held at Goldsmiths Hall, London.
The backs of these bars have been hallmarked by the London Assay Office based at Goldsmiths Hall, which is itself identified by the Leopards Head hallmark. Also featured in this unique hallmark combination are the Sponsors initials (A.J.) Anne Jessopp, Deputy Master and Chief Executive of The Royal Mint, the traditional fineness symbol (gold), the millesimal fineness mark, the date letter mark and the Kings Head, which is a special Coronation commemorative mark.
Produced in 916.7 Fine Gold, these impressive gold trial plates were created using metal sourced from several significant issues struck in this time-honored 22 Carat standard and assayed in the 2023 Trial of the Pyx. Included in this bar is metal from the Harry Potter Hogwarts Express coins, which represent the final use of the Queens effigy by The Royal Mint in this fineness, as well as metal from the Memorial Sovereign, which was the first coin to feature the effigy of King Charles III, in addition to many others.
<strong>Unique "Trial Plate" Gold Bars from the 2023 Trial of the Pyx</strong>
The Trial of the Pyx is one of the most historic and rigorous ceremonies used to evaluate a nations coinage. Critical to the efficacy of this evaluation are the standards against which the coins are tested and compared. Serving as the benchmark for these standards are metal trial plates that are produced in the official standard fineness from which samples can be taken to compare against the coins on trial. In order to pass the Trial of the Pyx, the coins have to be of the same or higher quality compared to the trial plates.
The trial plates are initially cast into one large rectangular sheet and then cut into smaller individual portions. The portions are held separately by several organizations and each piece has a distinctive shaped edge, which serves as an anti-fraud measure. When all the portions are brought back together for an occasion like the Trial of the Pyx, the edges can be matched up like the pieces to a jigsaw puzzle. This confirms that the portions all originated from the same sheet and have not been replaced with a lower standard of metal.
Thes trial plates are generally stamped or engraved with the details of the alloy and when the plate was produced. Historical plates also sometimes featured an impression from the die of a coin that was struck in that alloy. Several magnificent trial plates survive from the earliest era of the Trial of the Pyx dating back to at least 1477. These historic trial plates are housed in The Royal Mint Museum and evoke the timeless and mystical notions associated with the Trial of the Pyx.
To mark the historic nature of the 2023 Trial of the Pyx, a special set of bespoke Trial Plate gold bars was produced using gold sourced from the exact coins being assayed in the trial. These coins, issued in 2022, were significant due to the presence of both Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III on the obverses which reflected the change of monarchy partway through the year. Following assay testing, the gold from these coins was expertly crafted into bars that resemble the historic trial plates used in the Trial of the Pyx ceremony for centuries. These special bars represent the first time such treasures have been produced or offered publicly to collectors.
The three different styles of gold bars reflect the three primary levels of fineness used by The Royal Mint to strike gold coins, including 999.9 Fine, 999 Fine, and 916.7 Fine. A pair of bars was produced in each fineness and separately stamped with the effigy of each monarch including Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III, echoing the die impressions sometimes featured on historical trial plates. The edges of the bars also fit together in the same manner that actual trial plates would, celebrating the mother-son relationship between the two monarchs. They also fittingly contain the very last coins struck under Queen Elizabeth II and the very first produced under King Charles III.
Each matching pair is housed in a premium presentation display case with a Certificate of Authenticity that features a handwritten signature by Anne Jessopp, Deputy Master Chief Executive of The Royal Mint. These sets are bespoke and truly unique, offering a rare opportunity to own the actual assayed gold from coins struck by The Royal Mint and tested as part of the Trial of the Pyx 2023. They also represent the first ever metals to be assayed under and reported to the new Monarch, King Charles III. Each set is a numismatic treasure of the highest order and destined to be the crowning jewel of the most sophisticated collection.
<strong><a href=" https://youtu.be/O43USRA-d_w?si=sda9B0ozc0xzyUk2/"target=’_blank’ >Watch Our Online Presentation.</a> </strong> From a Collection of Historic Test Pieces from the 2023 Trial of the Pyx, Presented on Behalf of The Royal Mint.
