§ MR. COGHILL (Newcastle-under-Lyme)I beg to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has received a Memorial from the hon. Member for Falkirk (Mr. Sinclair), numerouly signed by Members of this House, praying that all silver and gold coins may, for the future, have, as the copper coins have, their exact value clearly marked upon them on one side in either words or in figures?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. GOSCHEN, St. George's, Hanover Square)Yes, Sir; I have carefully considered the Memorial and I have written to the hon. Member for Falkirk, informing him that while I propose to consult certain authorities on coins and design before finally deciding on the form of the coins, I hope to be able to meet the wishes of the signatories to the Memorial to a large extent as regards silver coins. But as regards gold coins, I do not think the case for expressing the value is so strong. The public are familiar with the difference between a sovereign and a half-sovereign, and the risk of mistake is infinitesimal, and I should not like to break with tradition in the matter.