Standard of Silver Plate, etc. Act 1696

Persons bringing wrought Plate to be coined between 1st Jan. 1696 and 4th Nov. 1697 to be paid for the same at the Rate of 5s. 4d. per Ounce.

Description of marked Plate to be received.; Persons bringing Plate not so marked may elect to have the Quantity of Sterling Silver contained therein; or have the same Plate melted and assayed at the said Allowance.

For the better encouragement of such Persons as have or shall have any kind of wrought Plate to bring the same to be coined into the lawfull Coins of this Realme and to the end the Species of lawfull Moneys may be encreased for the Advantage of Co[m]merce and other publick Affaires be it enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by the Authority of the same That any Person or Persons Natives or Forreigners Bodies Politick or Corporate that shall either by themselves or by their Servants or others that they respectively shall intrust in that behalfe bring or carry any wrought Plate of any sort or kind whatsoever att any time or times betweene the First Day of January One thousand six hundred ninety six and the Fourth Day of November One thousand six hundred ninety seven either into his Majesties Mints or any of them within this Realme of England or to such Person or Persons as by his Majesty under his Royal Signe Manual shall be authorized to receive the same shall be then and there paid for such Plate att the Rate of Five shillings and Foure pence for every Ounce to be reckoned and allowed as is herein after mentioned and that the Master and Worker of his Majesties Mints his Deputy or Deputies or such other Person or Persons as shall be thereunto authorized as aforesaid shall and by this Act they are severally required and enjoyned to receive all such wrought Plate as shall be so brought in and which shall plainly appeare to have thereupon the Mark co[m]monly used att the Hall belonging to the Company of Goldsmiths in London besides the Workmans Mark as sterling Silver and the Price thereof shall be reckoned allowed and paid for att the said Rate of Five Shillings and Foure pence an Ounce without tarrying till it be melted and essayed and in all Cases where the wrought Plate so brought shall not have the said Marks thereupon then the Party bringing the same shall have itt in his or her Election either to have the Quantity of sterling Silver contained therein (according to which the said Rate is to be allowed) to be determined and adjusted by the Master and Worker of the Mint his Deputy or Deputies or by such other Person authorized to receive the same as aforesaid who shall declare the said Quantity of Sterling Silver upon his Oath according to the best of his Skill and Judgement and make the said Allowance accordingly or if the said Party bringing such Plate shall not declare himselfe or herselfe willing that the said Officer of the Mint or such other Person to be authorized as aforesaid should determine upon Oath the said Quantity of sterling Silver in his or her Plate or shall forthwith after such Determination made declare him or herselfe to be injured thereby that then and in every sach Case the said Party bringing such Plate shall have the same forthwith melted and essayed and shall be allowed after the said Rate of Five shillings and foure pence an Ounce for every Ounce of sterling Silver which shall be found therein.