Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Second part - XIV. Credit and Insurance Establishments - 1. The Royal Mint - The Assay Office, by K. A. Wallroth, Comptroller at the Assay Office, Stockholm
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THK ROYAL MINT.
1023
countries, each country is likewise bound to redeem with gold coin any amount
of its own token, divisible with 10 kronor. On the other hand, there is no
limitation as to the amount in the right of issuing subsidiary coins, either in the
convention or in the Swedish legislation for the currency.
The convention erases to lie in force after one year’s notice, with the
provision, however, that the regulations just mentioned with regard to the obligation
of the countries to redeem coins worn and token coins, are to remain in force
two years after the ceasing of the convention.
The Assay Office.
By the Royal Assay act of December 7, 1752, which is still in
force, with addenda and elucidations subsequently made, a public assay
of the standard of all gold and silver articles manufactured in Sweden
was prescribed by law, and for this purpose the ÄBsay Office in
Stockholm was simultaneously instituted.
Agreeable to this, it is not allowed to manufacture or sell gold articles of a
standard lower than 750 °/oo line gold, and silver articles of a standard lower
than 812*5 °/oo fine silver.
Of gold articles, three different standards of fineness are assay-marked, viz.,
gold of 23 carats (ducat gold), of 20 carats (pistolett gold), and of 18 carats
(crown gold), and of silver articles only one standard. Gold of twenty-three
carats shall contain at least 969 °/oo of gold, of twenty carats at least 833 %m>,
and gold of eighteen carats at least 750 °/’oo of gold; silver shall contain at least
812-5 °/oo of silver.
Articles delivered for assaying must be furnished with certain marks, viz.,
the mark of the manufacturer, of the place of manufacture, and of the year of
manufacture (from 1759 inclusive), and for gold also a stamp showing the yield
of fine metal.
The assay-mark, which consists of three crowns on a blue blazoned
background, is stamped on the Stockholm articles at the Assay Office, subsequent to
examination, and in the provinces immediately on presentation, by town magistrates
or by persons specially appointed, when samples of them are taken and later on
sent in to the Assay Office, where they are examined, the manufacturer being
responsible according to law for the fineness stated.
For the stamping with assay-mark is charged a duty of 5 öre (0-7 d.) per
gram of gold, and 3-33 kronor (28/s sh.) per kilogram of silver, when the articles
are of a certain fineness* fixed for each different kind, and double this amount
if the articles are found to be of a fineness intermediate between that fixed for
them and the previously stated lowest yield of fine metal respectively. Some minor
articles of gold and silver are exempted from this stamping with the assay-mark
and the duty, but these nrticles must on penalty of the law, in case of an assay
being executed, contain at the least the above stated lowest fineness.
No other gold and silver articles are allowed to be imported into Sweden
than such that contain the above stated lowest fineness for the Swedish articles,
in consequence of which all such articles imported shall be sent to the Assay
office for examination, and, in case they hold the lowest fineness allowed, be
stamped with the assay-mark, against the duty charged for the home article,
* This yield is for gold of twenty-three carats 976 0 oo, for gold of twenty carats
840 "Zoo. for gold of eighteen carats 757 °/oo, and for silver 820 °/oo.
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