Talk:Trial of the Pyx

There is a claim referenced in an FT article that Isaac Newton was punished after the 1696 trial. However, Newton became Master of the Mint in 1699. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Kvom01 (talk • contribs) 19:08, 25 February 2023 (UTC)

Pyx - Boxwood Chest???

A pyx is normally a small box not a chest.

And there is no reason to suggest that they or any such boxes or chests were or are made of boxwood.

The boxes kept at Westminster were both chests and pyxes. Large chests for keeping large quantities of coin, and the small pyxes for carrying the samples for inspection.

In a church a pyx is used to store wafers.

The word pyx derives from the ancient Greek for fist, which gives some idea of size. Pyx, via its Latin variant bux, is incidentally the root of our English word box. Perhaps that's how 'boxwood' got into the text? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 92.5.14.176 (talk) 12:40, 5 October 2011 (UTC)

The System of the World

A Trial of the Pyx is called for in Neal Stephenson's fiction novel The System of the World, where it is revealed that Jack Shaftoe raided the Tower of London specifically to tamper with the Pyx, Viscount Bolingbroke and Charles White use the event as leverage for political attack against Whigs, specifically Isaac Newton.

75.142.144.88 (talk) 00:04, 5 May 2018 (UTC)