Report on the coining of a consignment of gold from New England, with details of the quality of the metal and the expenses incurred in receiving it

Author: Isaac Newton

Source: MINT 19/2/569, 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
  - 15 March 2017
    - Transcribed by Will Scott
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<569r>

To the Right Honourable the Lord High Treasurer of England.

May it please your Lordship

In purusance of your Lordships verbal Order for coyning her Majesties Gold which came from New England, the same has been opened, weighed, melted into Ingots & coyned. It was full weight, but the dust Gold was very foule & being examined with a Loadstone was found full of iron filings, & therefore in the melting lost something more then two pounds in weight, & remained very brittle. The gross weight by the Envoys was 65^{Lw^t}. 10^oz. 11^dwt. 5^gr. The standard weight after melting & toughning was 65^{lw^t}. 10^oz. 11^dwt. 5^gr, & being coyned it made 2944 Guineas, & 22 grains over: which after the rate of 21^s 6^d the Guinea & 2^d the grain, amounts to 3164^li. 19^s. 8^d, as in the Weigher & Tellers Account annexed.

The charges of sending an Officer of the Mint to Portsmouth & bringing the Gold from thence & melting the same into Ingots were 9^li. 19^s. 6^d, as in the Bill annexed, without allowing the Officer any thing for his trouble, who in modesty would make no demand on that account. I humbly pray your Lordships Warrant for paying the surplus into the Exchequer.

All which is most humbly submitted to your Lordships

great wisdome

Is. Newton

Mint Office.
4^th March 170 $\frac{5}{6}$

In the Envoys the Gold is recconed at 5^li 5^s the
ounce, supposing it perfectly fine, & counting a
Crown piece at six shillings; which is the rate
in the Plantations: & by this recconing the Gold is valued in the Envoys at 4137^li. 15^s. 9^d. By abating
one shilling in six & allowing for the wast
in melting & toughning & for the want of
perfect fineness, the value comes down to
3164^li. 19^s. 8^d as above.