§ Mr. Lubbockasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many pennies, threepences, sixpences and half crowns, respectively, were minted by the Royal Mint in 1968; how many of each will be minted in 1969; and if he will give an estimate of the average cost per piece of producing each of these coins and melting them down again after decimalisation.
§ Mr. Harold LeverIn 1968 the Royal Mint struck 170 million pennies, 48 million threepences, 76 million sixpences and 14 million half crowns. In the first six months of 1969 the Royal Mint plans to strike 135 million pennies, 25 million
256Won the last financial review which was carried out in August, 1968, but have been adjusted to allow for the effect of such price alterations as were made from 1st January, 1969.
Only those magazines and journals published by the Stationery Office have been included, as the sale element of the few published by other Departments is generally very small.
Following is the information:
threepences and 85 million sixpences. No further half crowns will be struck. The Mint has at present no firm programme for the second half of 1969: production plans will be adjusted according to the demand for these coins.
The cost of producing these coins and of subsequently melting them down is about 1d. for a penny, 0.8d. for a threepence and 0.4d. for a sixpence.