§ MR. W. E. LAWRENCE (Liverpool, Abercrombie)I beg to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is in contemplation to issue the bronze coinage with the head of Her Majesty as it is at present on the last silver issue; and, if so, how soon; and whether, with a view to increase the historic and numismatic interest of the coinage generally, he will take the necessary steps to issue this year a complete and new series so as to specially commemorate if possible in some way on the coins themselves the sixtieth anniversary of Her Majesty's reign?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Sir MICHAEL HICKS BEACH,) Bristol, W.The effigy of Her Majesty on the bronze coinage has been the same since 1895 as that on the silver coinage. It is not desirable to vary the design upon the coinage at short intervals of time. The present coinage is the result of the recommendation of the committee which sat in 1891, and is, I believe, generally considered satisfactory. I am afraid that the attempt of a special coinage in 1887 was by no means so successful as to encourage a fresh attempt of the same kind. The sixtieth anniversary of Her Majesty's reign will be commemorated by the issue of a medal.