Master of the Mint

The Master of the Mint was an important job in the governments of Scotland, England, Great Britain, and later the United Kingdom from the 16th to the 19th century. This title was given to the most senior person in charge of the Royal Mint, which made coins for the country.

At first, the Master of the Mint was appointed for life, until the year 1699. Sometimes, this person would even sit in the cabinet, which is a group of important government leaders.

During a time called the interregnum from 1643 to 1660, one Master of the Mint named Sir Robert Harley switched his support to Parliament instead of Charles I and kept his job until he died in 1656. After that, someone named Aaron Guerdon took over.

Eventually, in 1870, the job of Master of the Mint was combined with another important role called the Chancellor of the Exchequer. From then on, the Chancellor automatically became the Master of the Mint. The actual day-to-day work of running the mint was handled by the Deputy Master of the Mint, who is now known as the mint's Chief Executive.

Masters of the Mint in England

The Master of the Mint was an important job in England from the 1300s to the 1800s. This person was in charge of the Royal Mint, which made coins for the country. At first, many people held the job for short times, but later it was often given to one person for life. The job changed over the years, and in 1870, it was combined with another important government role called the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Deputy Master of the Mint

Today, the Royal Mint is a private company, and the role of Deputy Master is held by the Royal Mint's Chief Executive.