A sample of gold coins submitted to the 2025 Trial of The Pyx by The Royal Mint - Photography by Paul Read
How much do you trust the coins in your pocket? In an age of digital finance coins are still reassuringly solid. This trust has been hard-won, thanks in no small part to the Trial of the Pyx – the annual test of the coins produced by the Royal Mint by the Goldsmiths’ Company and the London Assay Office.
The 776-year-old ceremony, which is one of the the UK’s oldest judicial procedures, aims to protect consumers by upholding the quality of the nation’s coinage through rigorous testing – as important today as it was at the first recorded public trial in 1248. The process ensures that the coins produced by The Royal Mint meet the standards of precision, accuracy and exceptional craftsmanship for which it is internationally renowned.
A sample of all new coins struck by The Royal Mint – whether currency or collectible - is submitted to the Trial of the Pyx each year. The coins are rigorously checked for fineness and quality by an independent jury which has been made up of members of the Goldsmiths’ Company since 1327, before undergoing scientific analysis by the London Assay Office.
Join the Goldsmiths’ Company’s Library and Archive team on Wednesday 7 May 2025, to learn about the ceremony and the science behind this ancient procedure through objects and documents in their collections, during this exclusive Archive Experience at Goldsmiths’ Hall, in the City of London.
Visitors will come face to face with objects and documents that have played an important part in the history of the Pyx, including a gold plate which enraged Sir Isaac Newton and a letter which helped the defeat of Napoleon. There will be chance to handle historic tools associated with testing the coins and a sample of the precious metal coins submitted for testing by the Royal Mint in 2025.
This exclusive Archive Experience will be held in the Library Reading Room, capacity is limited to 10 people, and tickets are priced at £25 per person.
Proceeds will go towards supporting the development of vocational skills and training in our trade and craft through the 1327 charitable fund.
Tickets for the “Archive Experience: The Trial of The Pyx - Session One” are now fully booked. Please sign up to our mailing list to be notified about future events.
Terms & Conditions
Tickets for “Archive Experience: The Trial of The Pyx” are priced at £25 per person and are non-refundable.
Tickets must be booked in the name of the person who is attending - photo ID that matches the name on the booking will be required to gain entry.
Security & bag policy
Goldsmiths’ Hall operates Airport style enhanced security procedures for all public events - these include a bag scanner and a security arch. Suitcases and items larger than a laptop bag are not permitted inside the building. Our cloakroom, situated downstairs, can be used free of charge for coats, bags and umbrellas.
Disabled access to Goldsmiths’ Hall
The main entrance to Goldsmiths’ Hall is on Foster Lane and may not be suitable for visitors who require step-free access. Those who are require level access from street level should ring the bell on Carey Lane, for assistance and access by lift. If you have any concerns or questions about visiting the building, please email us.
The Library Reading Room is on the first floor, and can be accessed by lift from within the ground floor lobby.