In response to a verbal order, a detailed account of Newton's proposed method of coining copper from rolled bars, the requisite staff and their respective duties

Author: Isaac Newton

Source: MINT 19/2/356, National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK

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- Revision History
  - 1 January 2001
    - Catalogue information compiled by Rob Iliffe, Peter Spargo & John Young
  - 29 September 2011
    - Catalogue exported to teiHeader by Michael Hawkins
  - 29 August 2016
    - Transcribed by Will Scott
  - 23 September 2016
    - Will Scott finished transcription
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<356r>

To the R^t Hon^ble the Lords Commissioners of his Ma^ts T{illeg}|re|ary

May it please yo^r Lord^ps

In obedience to yo^r Lord^ps verbal Order that I should lay before your Lord^ps a Proposal or Memorial about coyning copper-moneys: I humbly represent that the Copper be imported into a Mint by weight in clean barrs nealed & of a due fineness & size for cutting out of them blanks of such a weight as his Ma^ty shall appoint; that the fineness be such that the Barrs when heated red hot will spread thin under the hammer without cracking; that the scissel be delivered back to the Importer by weight, & the Importer be paid for the excess of the Copper imported above the scissel returned back, after the rate of per pound weight averdupois; that it be in the power of the Mint-master to refuse such copper as doth not beare the assay or is not well sized nealed & cleaned; that when a parcel of copper-money, suppose a Ton or two, is coyned, the same be well mixed by shovelling it forwards & backwards in a heap before sufficient witnesses & then assayed before them in four or five distant places & the assays entred in books, & the tale of the heap estimated by taking a medium of all the assays, & the money then put into baggs by weight to be delivered to the people, & the weight & price of the baggs entred in books, & three or four or perhaps five pence allowed in every quarter of an hundred weight for preventing complaints about the tale; & out of every heap assay, four or five pieces be put into a box & kept to be examined at the end of the year before whom your Lord^ps shall appoint; & a Remedy of about an half penny in the pound weight allowed for accidentall errors. And the Mint-master, out of the produce of the coynage, as fast as it shall arise, to pay for the Copper imported after the rates aforesaid, & be discharged upon taking back his Notes, & to pay also for putting the buildings & coyning Tools in repair at the first setting up of this coinage & for such new Tools & other things as shall be wanting; & account annually to the king. |And that the King may at any time stop this coinage during pleasure.|

The Officers requisite in this service are, A Mint-master with a De{illeg}|put|y. A Smith to forge the Dyes & Puncheons. A Graver for graving & polishing them. A Moneyer or body of Moneyers for cutting out the Blanks & coyning them & taking care of the coining Tools & keeping them in repayr. A Clerk for seeing the moneys assayed & weighed & entring the proceedings in books. Another Clerk (who may be called the Kings Clerk) for doing the like {& entring} in behalf of the King & his people & for making a Controllment Roll upon oath. And an Auditor for examining the Account. The assays may be made by the Moneyer {&}|o||r| Smith or any Labourer, & the barrs & scissel weighed by the Moneyer & the Agent of the Importer together

All which is most humbly submitted to yo^r Lord^ps
great Wisdome

Isaac N{ewton}

^[1]

^[1] Mint Office May 1717.