14. Where any coin purporting to be coined or issued under the authority of the Government is tendered to any person authorised by the Government to act under this Article, and such person has reason to believe that the coin is counterfeit or has been fraudulently defaced, he shall by himself or another cut or break the coin and may at his discretion either return the pieces to the tenderer, who shall bear the loss caused by such cutting or breaking, or in the case of silver coin receive and pay for the coin accordingly to the value of the silver bullion contained in it.