Although this law is not directly related to the circulation of the 1½ pence coin it causes changes within the employees or jobs of the Royal Mint, as well within the Colonial Office which played an important role in the creation, manufacture, circulation, etc. of the small three halfpence coin. From my point of view it deserves to be elucidated in this page, and can be reference info to other numismatists.

The Coinage Act 1870 stated the metric weights of British coins. Thus, it was repealed by the Coinage Act 1971. The Act also vested the titles of Governor of the Mint of Scotland [which ceased minting coins in 1707] and Master of the Royal Mint, to the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

A contemporary history suggests that the Act was influenced by the criticisms of George Frederick Ansell [1826–1880] the English scientific inventor, chemist and assayer, and author of a standard work on the Royal Mint. Those who occupied the post during the period or production of small coin were:

Δ  Because the Master of the Royal Mint position was abolished with the passing of Coinage Act 1870 and since the last person to held the post died in September 1869, it was not neceesary to apointed anyone else for that job. [1]

The Secretary of State for War and the Colonies was a British cabinet level position responsible for the army and the British colonies [other than India]. The Department was created in 1801, when former Secretary of State for War office created for Henry Dundas in 1794 was abolished. In 1854, military reforms led to the Colonial and Military responsibilities of this secretary of state being split into two separate offices, of Secretary of State for War and Secretary of State for the Colonies, with Sir George Grey becoming the first Secretary of State for the Colonies under the new arrangement. The Secretary was supported by an Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. This office control all monetary matters related to the colonies. Those who occupied the posts during the period or production of small coin were:

Δ  The War Office had several London homes until it settled at Horse Guards in Whitehall in 1722, where it was to remain the Secretary of State for War and the Colonies headquarters until 1854. [2]

Δ Exterior of Colonial Office [now the Foreign and Commonwealth Office] from beside Clive Steps, Whitehall. Photo was taken in 2006. [4]

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office occupies a building which originally provided premises for four separate government departments: the Foreign Office, the India Office, the Colonial Office, and the Home Office.

As soon as the new building was completed, the office was removed from White-hall gardens to the new site on July 1^st, 1868. It was designed by the architect Sir George Gilbert Scott and Sir Matthew Digby Wyatt by pettition of Lord Palmerston, then Prime Minister. Its classical style architecture is in the also known as Italianate style.