an organization that assays and monitors the purity of precious metals in a particular country
assay office in American English
noun
a local testing station for assaying ore, as gold or silver, esp. a government station maintained in connection with the registration of mineral claims, purchases of gold, or the like
Word origin
[1765–75]This word is first recorded in the period 1765–75. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: backwash, bonus, guidance, pile driver, statement
Examples of 'assay office' in a sentence
assay office
One of the functions of an assay office is fixing the value of silver items that are to be melted down for bullion.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Best be sure, so to a city assay office (whose mark was a crown, now a rose) to check.