Clerical copy of tenders to supply copper received in response to the advertisement of 30 April 1717 [MINT00630 (Mint 19/2/406)] and forwarded to the Mint with MINT00636 (Mint 19/2/366):
Proposals humbly Offer'd To the Right Hon.ble the Lords Comm.ers of his Maj.ts Treasury
That the Proposers may be admitted to supply the Mint with Blanks for Coynage made of Fine Brittish Copper Cast and Rolled only at fifteen pence ꝑ pound Weight
Or the Workmanship at Three pence half penny ꝑ Pound his Mahestie finding Copper. OR
That the Proposers may supply the Mint w.th Fine Brittish Copper Plates Hammer'd at their Mills and Cut in the Tower in |Note there was a Vote of the House of Commons that they should be made of Our own English Fine Copper as near the intrinsick Value as possible|Presence of Officers appointed at Fifteen pence ꝑ pound Wt takeing in Return such Sissellage as is made at Twelve pence per pound Or otherwise to deliver in the plates with the usual Remedy at Nineteen pence ꝑ pound and take the same Wt in Return of Coyned Half pence and Farthings with the Sisselage made from the plates. Paying for the Coynage and Risqueing the Charge of Distribution themselves.
As the Proposers in the Petition annexed are so much Interested in the Copper Trade they are ready to prove that Hammering is the only Standard yet found to demonstrate the Purity of the Copper, they are of Opinion that is fittest for Coynage and haveing already expended so much money to find out the Method of makeing Brittish Copper what it now is the|y| humbly hope they shall be prefer'd as an Encouragement to Art having such stock in the Trade already, will not do any thing prejudicial to themselves or the Publick in makeing too many HalfPence or Farthings or Coyning them when there is a Scarcity of Copper thereby Endamageing the Manufacture of Copper and incurring the Hazard of the Plantations not being supplyed and causeing the Necessity of Importing it from Abroad and thereby obligeing such Numbers of Workmen as are now Employed to stand still for want of it.
