§ MR. COGHILL (Newcastle-under-Lyme)I beg to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware of the great inconvenience that is at present caused by a large part of the coinage of this Country not having on either the obverse or the reverse side the value clearly marked; and whether he will undertake that all coins to be issued from the Mint in future shall bear legibly upon either the obverse or the reverse side the denomination of their exact value?
§ *THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. GOSCHEN, St. George's,) Hanover SquareI would refer the hon. Gentleman to an answer given by me on the 14th of March of this year, in which I pointed out that the question of the denomination of the value of silver coins was under consideration.
§ MR. COGHILLIs not Great Britain the only country in the world where the gold coins are not marked with their value?
§ *MR. GOSCHENEvery one knows what a sovereign is, and I have never before heard any complaint with reference to its value not being marked.
§ MR. H. H. FOWLER (Wolverhampton, E.)When will the decision with reference to the silver coins take effect?
§ *MR. GOSCHENThe existing stock must be dealt with first, and there are other matters connected with the design, &c, which will be attended to at the same time.
§ MR. COGHILLIs not the Australian sovereign marked with its value?
§ *MR. GOSCHENYes; but I do not think that the Australians can give us lessons with regard to our coinage.