274)

Author: Isaac Newton

Source: MINT 19/1/273, 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
  - 23 January 2017
    - Transcribed by Will Scott
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Related Texts
- This document is a version of:
  Holograph queries about standards of trial plates [MINT 19/1/274]

<273r>

The fineness of gold & silver is generally estimated by the assay & bought & sold by this estimate, & gold w^ch is 24 carats fine & silver which \upon the assay is {sic}/ is 12 ounces fine is reputed by Assaymasters \Goldsmiths & Merchants fine Gold & fine s/ fully fine. And indented standard triall pieces are by law to be {illeg}|m|ade of 22 car\a/rats of fine gold & two carats of allay, & of 11 ounces 2^{dw^t} of fine silver & 18^{dw^t} of allay. And|But| \yet/ some Refiners have of late found out a way{s} of refining gold & silver to a higher degree then 24 carrats |& twelve ounces fine, & may find out ways of making them still finer.|

| Qu? 1.| Whether there should be one common standard \fineness/ of fine gold & one of fine silver in all great Britain for setting a value upon all gold & silver in buying & selling, in coining of money, & in making of plate? And what is that standard fine{s}|n||ess| according to law? Or \may/ it be setled by her Ma^ty in Council{?}

|Qu? 2.| Whether for this end her Ma^ty may appoint standard trial pieces to be made of such fine gold as proves just 2{2}|4| carats fine upon the assay notwithstanding & of such fine silver as proves just 12 ounces fine upon the assay, notwithstanding that gold & silver may by any new art be refined to an higher degree? Or what is the standard of fine gold & fine silver according to law?

|Qu? 2|3|.| Whether for keeping constantly to a standard, her Ma^ty may direct that a piece of the fine gold of w^ch the next standard trial pieces shall be \duly/ made be kept in the Exchequer for determining with more exactness the fineness of the fine gold & fine silver of which all trial pieces shall be made for the future.