The sun., 1898-02-14
THE TRIAL OF THE PYX.
,v,r1I TESTING OF TINE o01Ns
Uncle SAM MINIS

r.o,rnnl trin' OF tho pyN took place at The
p,n,ae,nhia mint on Wednesday. EVERYBODY
,o,,c, with United states mints knows
-, the pyx is. Few besides mint oncials
80, much about 1t. Prof. John H. hees OF
Sa,,,rhin University was one OF those VINO at
...,d.d this years opening OF the pyx IN an OF
ten ,', ,,a..itv A reporter of THE Sun called
NJ pr,t Recs Yesterday afternoon at his
upon wr., seventy second street, TO find out
.,hi,y about the history Of the pyx end
80 b,nuencd at the 1893 opening.
"T ia avery important piece of furniture
riicd states Treasury Department. In.
81 ~ there, werc not q pvN, there would DO no
.na NJ difficulty in determining aceutatciy
-ho,hcr the gold and silver coins oil the ohiteo
s,.,es are kept up to the standard weight ana
ensness, Tnc pyx has been In use NJ our nlihts
,or more than II quarter OF century, 10 frot'
po.s', own knowledge, and he thinks IL is mueh
older than thN'' , ,.,t,,r
=, nyxis. meant a toilet box or jewel case.
" c.tboiio Church the pyx is the box In
.-s;nh the reserved eucharist is kept. In Eng.
~ ,,,r, \, pyx in which specimen eoinH
80, tho british Mint are deposited. and there
..n,, in which tne nautical compass card is
Suspended . a..
,ov In which samples OF every coinage made at
-, Mann, nry deposited. The official pyx Is
,oodsn box that very much resembles car
..,,.r,s TOOL chest. 1t is about the same length
snd zenith. In it are number of trays. each
So divjaed into compartments, and in these
.onprrttnen,s = the specimen coins gro Kept
Th, official pyx is provided for In the United
States statute, governing the weight ana nne'
nsss of United States coins In the Reviscd
sta,ptes of the United States, at section 3,o39,
,,is uroyided that every time lot Of coins 10
ia n, apy mint in the Cniteu States tho
.a,nor shall deliver these coins to the Superin-
,on5ont NJ the mint where the coinage is made.
t.or, AVER, lot OF coins 80 delivered the Super
,n,epd.nt. in the pres nee OF the assayer at that
mint. shall select indiscriminately certain
number OF pieces OF each variety for the annual
trial OF coins Tho number OF specimen gold
coins thus selected snail not be less than ono
niece of each variety for each 1000 coins de-
lyere, and OF silver spec mems not less than
one piece for each 100 coins.
Tho specimcns 50 selected must DO carefully
s.aIed nm In an envelope and so labelled as to
indicate the date OF delivery. the nunOer and de-
nomination OF the pieces incloscd. and the
amount OF the whole lot OF coins from which the
,pecimens we're taken. The envelope must then
lie deposited In the pyx at that mint. The pyx
IA rsDi under the joint care OF the superin.
tellent OF the mint ana the ass yer. II must
be SO secured that neither can get access TO 1t
without the presence of the other. Once every
three months the pyNes at ohca mint in operation
must be- Opened and all tho specimen coins
contained therein must be sent to the mint at
On being received at the Philadelphia Mint
these cases OF specimens are placed in great
vault, there to remain until the annual trial OF
coins The pyX at the Philadelphia is like the
others. Its locking arrangement Is such that II
ha unless Snnerlntpnnent
the Mint ana the yer are both present. 1t is
opened. like tho other pyxes, whenever coin.
II is assumed that tests of the specimen coins
thus selected will determine the character Of
oil the coins minred during certain period.
Inc tests OF these coins must be made annu-
ally at time fixed by law. The persons chosen
to make thet's sts are known as the Assay Com
missioners In reference to this commission tho
Revised 81 ltutes READ:
$40 secure q due conformity in the gold and
silver coins TO their respective std ndards OF fine
trict Of Pennsylvania, the Comptroller Of the
Currency. tho Assayer of the Assay Office at
New York. and such other persons as the Presi-
snail meet as Assay Commissioners at
the mint IN Phiaielphia to examine and
ss In M the ec,si, Of the s;aS
Of the coins reserved by the several mints ior
this purpose. on tue second Wednesday in Feb
n@s nrsy anpS M sa max
appears by such examination and test that
these coins 90 not differ from the standard
than i allowed % a'S By lazy, the trial snail b
considered and reported as satisfactory.
II, however. any greater deviation from the
legal standard OF weight appears. this fact shall
DO certified to the President; and II. in view of
the circumstances OF the case. he shall SO de-
eide, the officers implicated in the error shall be
thenceiorwnrd disqualified from holding their
respective Offices"
In adjusting he weights Of the gold coins the
following dcv alton is allowed, but must not be
exceeded In single piece: In the double eagle
and eagle. one-h'lf grain; in other coins. one
Quarter grain. In adjusting the weights OF sill;
yer coins deviat-1 in each piece of one and
cceGei.
The Assay Commission. ers appointed by Presi-
g.. Mckinley for this years trial of the pyx,
other than those specified by law, were the fol-
.o; LOWING: United States Senator Julius 9; Bur
Chairman of the House Committee on Coin 20,
NMslghls and Measures; Edward L. Brcwstcr,
Chicago; Prof. Henry S. Pritchett. Superintent-
en- OF the Coast and Gcodetic Survey; Prof Rees,
Joseph Wharton of Philadelphia. G. Stunrt Pat.
IMerssopn, Philadelphia: Prof. Levcrett Mears Of
oSer TNe T. 'fs fhSGepa Fl GSGeS1 o Prc PPty
Sonn Marshall. University OF Pennsylvania;
SaeN en.n MhlIehend of the Bureau Of the Mint,
pnMyron sna Myron 7. iierrck. personal friend Of tho
PRESIDENT and business man of Cleveland.
dne iue:namei members OF the commission
Mere; Mere; The Hon William Butler in ige Of the
Ilct DsIlct Court oi the H..st ern District of Penn
tssMnanla; the Hon. Charles g. Dawes. Comp
.roiier OF the Currency, and HerUcrt Gray Tor.
al tne Jnlted states Assay OffiC0
al New York.
Tho commission organized on Wednesday
turning IN the museum of the mint. Judge
a,utIer was elected Chairman. Then committees
IN eouhtlmg. weighing, and ass tying were Rp.
po'nleH' he CiItIrmen of these committees,
s...,p.ctiNG'. were Mr.. Boshy she'll Prof. Prifch.
S' SSo,' ana i'fo'. Mears. Prof. Rees was n mem
yI ~ .he commute on counting and weighing.
eomr, mit y, lls romrsa.o had organized and the
soiIlnn soiIln iItes had been appointed the pyx was
snoc',Dio cyt in'o thc room, In IL had been placed
Spv Spuviunrh CONS from he mints at PHILADELPHIA
.hu phau rrnhcl'ro. AMI New Orleans, Tho keys to
NJ locks, neld by the SUPERINTENDENT OF the
was opened. - ''' p'N
sne me coins, from one tray at n time, were
counptn nron long table End the counting
ei eo,nin,ttee he"Jn its work. The total count oc-
TIb'en ~ W ,dnu sday and part Of rhursd "
AZ Conn' ~ The com..i tHlliei with the
NJ ErS; OF the Supcrin' endent OF tho Philade-
tan t," VI. ana the number OF coins WAS there
iorc certified : : correct '" '''
Thinun hnun the Wci-hing Committee went to work.
tneIr y tlN'h rare exercised IN tho selection of
SIg IIg SHAles uset for this wur. They are uro.
csseg caseg the Director OF the Mint and re as
ST. ~ guarded as the vaults % the United
~ th"h lre"sury until they are turned over TO
iu Ign NJ Committee. Each coin was
CsEhei separately. aud then all the coins were
n'snru IN mas. No greater deviation than is
n;,t MI ~ led by law was found. The Assay Com.
N" WAS also able 10 certify as to the dneness
rsp' hees. while Al liberty TO disclose The
wera we r2hnniasiOn made, said that there
saveroI" I"n th,nGS mat were criticised rather