Unparted Bullion.—Gold containing silver or silver containing gold which has not been subjected to the parting operation.
Amalgam.—Gold and silver extracted from ores or other substances by the use of mercury and left in a porous or spongy condition, when the mercury is removed by distillation.
Fineness.—A term indicating the proportion of pure metal contained in a piece of gold or silver. Fineness is expressed in thousandths; that is, pure metal is 1000. United States coin is ⁹⁰⁰⁄₁₀₀₀ fine, or decimally .900 fine. Fineness is estimated by jewelers and workers in the precious metals by “carats,” pure metal being 24 carats. Thus 22 carats, the British standard for gold coins, is ²²⁄₂₄, or decimally, 916⅔ fine.
Deposit—Melting.—The operation of melting a deposit of gold or silver at the Mint to secure a homogeneity of metals, preliminary to taking a sample for assaying.
Remedy of the Mint.—The legal variation allowed from the fineness and weight prescribed by law for the coins.
Trial of the Pyx.—The annual test made by special commissioners of the fineness and weight of coins reserved from each delivery of coin by the coiner to the superintendent. These coins are known as Pyx coins, because kept in a pyx or chest.
Refractory Bullion.—Gold or silver bullion which contains a small percentage of lead, tin, or antimony, and which is therefore too hard or brittle to roll, cut, or stamp with facility.
Wastage.—The amount of gold and silver lost in the processes which these metals undergo preparatory to striking the coins. This “wastage” by law must not exceed a certain percentage of the gross amount of metals worked.
Sweepings.—The ashes, fluxes, crucibles, sweepings, and all other refuse materials from rooms in which the metals are worked, containing a small amount of gold and silver.