'Of Portugal Moneys'

Author: Isaac Newton

Source: MINT 19/2/198, 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
  - 11 May 2017
    - Transcribed by Will Scott
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<198r>

Of Portugal moneys.

The gold moneys are
The five Pistoel piece of fine gold of the Ducat stampt			10000	Res, or	250	Reals
The Doppio Moeda or double Pistole			4000		100
The Moeda or Pistole or double Milt or Milres			2000		50
The My-moeda or half Pistole or $\frac{1}{2}$ Milt or Milres			1000		25
The silver monies are
Pataques or Patagons coyned for			500		12 $\frac{1}{2}$
Crusados or Ducats			400		10
Half Ducats			200		5
Testons or five-Vintain pieces			100		2 $\frac{1}{2}$
Four	}		80		2
Three		Vintain pieces	60		1 $\frac{1}{2}$
Two			40		1
One			20		$\frac{1}{2}$
Demivintains of silver & copper			10		$\frac{1}{4}$

Their moneys were lately raised in the proportion of 5 to 6 so that the Moeda now goes for 2400 Res & the Crusado for 480 Res & the other pieces in proportion & some of the old pieces (as the Crusados) upon their raising were markt with a stamp, those unmarkt going at the old value. But the new moneys are still coyned with the old number of Res. So the Moeda is still coyned with 2000 upon it & Crusado with 400 tho they go for 2400 & 480 Res. The Portugals reccon by 100^ds 1000^ds & millinos of Res putting the Mark  after thousands thus 5. 734  340 Res, that is five millions seven hundred thirty & four thousand three hundred & forty Res. Or five thousand seven hundred thirty & forty Miles & three hundred & forty Res. They exchange in Crusados or Ducats of 400 Res. They reccon a Spanish Pistols at 3000 Res & a Spanish Pistre at 750 Res. Therefore as 750 to 480 or 25 to 16 so is a Piastre (= 4^s 6^d) to a Crusado = 2^s 10 $\frac{14}{25}$ ^d. And as 3000 to 2400 or 5 to 4 so is a Spanish Pistole (17^s. 0 $\frac{1}{2}$ ) to a Moeda = 13^s. 7 $\frac{3}{5}$ ^d.

Crusados & $\frac{1}{2}$ Crusados of the present King have on one side a plain cross almost like pieces of 8 with this inscription In hoc signo vinces: on the other side the kings arms the date & the number of res 400 with this inscription Petrus II D. G. Rex Portug. Well coynd & curiously edged. Ten Crusados & two half Crusados were in weight & assay as follow{s}

Crusados	1687,		1687,		1688,		1688,		1689,		1689,		1689,		1689,		1691,		1691.
Weight	11^{dw^t}.	2^gr,	11.	3 $\frac{3}{4}$ ,	10.	22,	11.	4 $\frac{3}{4}$	11.	7 $\frac{3}{4}$ ,	11.	3 $\frac{1}{2}$	11.	4 $\frac{1}{2}$ ,	11.	5,	11.	0 $\frac{1}{2}$ ,	11.	3 $\frac{1}{4}$ .
Assay worse							1^dwt		1 $\frac{1}{2}$ ^{ful}.								2 $\frac{1}{2}$
Half Crusados			1689,		1690.
	weight		5.	11 $\frac{1}{4}$ ,	5.	10 $\frac{1}{4}$ .
	Assay worse				1^dwt

The Crusados weighed one with another 11^{dw^t} 3 $\frac{3}{10}$ ^gr. And when fresh out of the Mint 11^dwt 4^gr or 11 4 $\frac{1}{2}$ being lightned about a grain one with another by wearing. If they be supposed 11^{dw^t} 4^gr in weight new out of the mint & 1^{dw^t} worse then standard they will be worth 34 $\frac{9}{10}$ pence sterling standard when new out of the Mint, & in exchang they will be worth 34 $\frac{3}{5}$ pence, or 2^s 10 $\frac{3}{5}$ ^d. This is the value of 480 Res & therefore 400 Res are worth 2^s. 4 $\frac{5}{6}$ ^d, & 100 Res is worth 7^d $\frac{5}{24}$

A Crusado coynd for 400 Res 1664 by Alfonsus king of Portugal being much worn weighed 11^dwt 3 $\frac{1}{4}$ ^gr. The stamp like the former but not edged.

Three Portugal pieces of John IIII king of Portugal stampt & edged something like the former without date or the number of Res weighing together 21^{dw^t} 2^gr, that is one with another 7^dwt 0 $\frac{2}{3}$ ^gr much worn so as to be lightned by wearing between 6 & 12^gr. whence they seem to be $\frac{2}{3}$ of the 400 res pieces. One of them was worse 1^dwt another 1 $\frac{1}{2}$ ^dwt

<198v>

A Moeda de Ouro dated 1700 & beautifully coyned, weighed exactly 3^dwt 10^gr or 82^gr. It is counted for 2400 Res but there is stampt upon it only 2000 Res. At 2^{d} a grain its worth 13^s 8^d, but if this gold be but of 16 times more value then the same weight of our standard silver, {illeg} worth 14^s. 1^d $\frac{7}{15}$ . The Doppio Moeda or double Moeda weighs (one piece with another 6^{dw^t} 21 $\frac{1}{2}$ ^gr. And the half Moedas Moedas & double Moedas are one with another $\frac{1}{4}$ ^legr. better then standard. Or rather, the Doppio Moeda weighs one piece with another 6^{dw^t} 21 $\frac{3}{4}$ grains, as I found by examining 30 parcels of Doppio Moedas & Moedas of a thousand Doppio Moedas & two-Moedas in a parcel whence a Moeda is worth 13^s 10^d $\frac{1}{4}$ & a Doppio Moeda is worth 27^s 8 $\frac{1}{2}$ ^d.