Partial draft of <ref target="/catalogue/record/MINT00322">MINT00322</ref> (Mint 19/2/111-16) Isaac Newton c. 379 words Newton Project London 2019 Newton Project, University of Oxford

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 September 1717, c. 379 words. Response to an order to report on gold and silver coin in Britain [MINT 19/2/111-16] MINT 19/2/38, National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK UKSurreyKew, RichmondNational Archives MINT 19/2/38 September 1717 England English Holograph MintEconomic Theory and Legislation Catalogue information compiled by Rob Iliffe, Peter Spargo & John Young Catalogue exported to teiHeader by Michael Hawkins Transcribed by Kees-Jan Schilt

Sr

I have enquired the weight & fineness of the coynes mentioned in your letter & they are as follows. The Holland Ducat is 23car 2gr five1 car ijgr better then standard & weights 2dwt 4gr The Three Guilder pieces is worse 10oz 18dwt 4dwt worse & weighs 20dwt 6gr The Spanish Pistoll is 14 legr worse & weighs 4dwt 8gr The Pieces of Eight weigh 17dwt 12gr each, & the Pillar Piece is 2dwt better the Mexican 1dwt worse & the Pruvian 16dwt worse A French Lewis d'Or weighs 4dwt 8gr & is worse 14legr A French Crown weighs 17dwt 12gr & is worse obdwt The Cross Dollar weighs 18dwt & is wors 1212dwt worse. A Jacobus & Carolus piece coyned for XXs is yethe 41th part of a pound weight Troy, & a Carolus XXs piece is of the same weight& therefore weighs 14 012gr 7dwt & about 12 a grain But a broad Jacobus is about yethe 38th part of a pound weight Troy.

The whole number of Guineas coyned in the reigns of K. Charles K James & K William to the present time is The pr value of Gold in all these reigns has been has been greater here then in Holland in all these three reigns wchwhich has made & accordingly thence the coynage of gold monies th coyned in yethe reigns of King Charllees & King James were almost double to the silver monies coyned in the same reigns. And now Gold being at a higher value then in those reigns is coyned the only metal brought into yethe Mint from abroad. The exchange in Holland is at present about 5 ꝑper cent for Bank money & 114 more for Gold Guineas that is about 614 or 612 ꝑper cent for Guines, so that a Guineass ins Holland are worth but 2 about 1lb. 0s 8d of oer milled silver monies. The importation of silver is discourgeddiscouraged not only by its low price in proportion to gold but also by the Laws wchwhich makeagainst exportation of Silver Bullion the Merchant being unwilling to bring it on shore by reson of the difficulty they meet wthwith in going off wthwith it again in case they meet not with a good Mercat here. 38