Drafts of a response to John Perry's application to coin copper (Mint 19/2/306) and a recommendation of Charles Brattell for assay master (Mint 19/1/93)
In obedience to yor Lops Orders of Reference concerning upon the Petitions of several persons to succeed Mr Dan. Brattel deceased, in the Officer of Assamaster {sic} to her Majts Mint in the Tower: We humbly represent that by the long experience wch we have had of\we beleive {sic}/ Mr Charles Brattell the deceased we repre account\beleive/ him\said Daniel/ the\to be well/ qualified for that post\for that Place/ & that we judge him the fittest person among the Pe{illeg}\ti/tioners of that for that post to succeed therein
All wch
In obedience to yor Lordps Order of Reference upon the Petition of Iohn Pery & others for supplying the Mint with either blanks or plates of fine copper to be coined into half pence &|or| farthings, we \I/ humbly represent that whenever there shall be a coinage of copper money whether it be by {Coin} Patent or upon account, the whole coinage including the making of the blanks be done in the Mint it being unsafe to have coining tools abread & coinage abroad. And that ye Petitioners & others who have copper works be treated with, & his copper chosen wch is best coloured & most malleable & cheapest of those sorts of copper wch will hammer when red hot. Such copper is worth about 11 or 12d the pound.|,| \&/ There is no certain test of finer copper. And the great price of the finest copper will tempt people to counterfeit the money made thereof. |The copper may be either wrough hammered into plates at the All wch copper mills or cast into barrs \in the Mint/ by the {mixtures}\addition/ of 2 or 3 ounces of Tin to an hundred weight of copper in fusion to make the metal {to} run close. The latter way is cheapes|r|t by 2d in the pound weight & the less the extrinsic value of the money is the less apt it will be to be counterfeited.|
<432v>|In obedience to yor Lordps Order of Regerence upon the Petitions of Iohn Pery & others for making either blancks of plates of fine coper for coining half pence or farthings We humbly represent
~ ~ That copper money is at prent very little wanted, but if it shall be thought fit to put the coinage of such money into a standing method, We are humbly of opinion|
|1| That ye whole coinage, including the blanks, be done in the Mint, it being unsafe to have coining tools abroad {illeg}|&| coinage abroad.
|2| That it be done of copper either hammered into pla such\the cheapest/ fine copper as|wc|h will hammer when red hot & is worth about 11d or 12d per lwt. In finer & dearer copper we may be cheated\deceived/, there being no certain test of its degrees of fineness, & the \great/ price will tempt {illeg}|f|als coiners to counterfeit it
|3| That it be done either out of copper \either/ hammered into plates at the copper mills, or cast into blanks {a} barrs or fillets at ye Mint with an addition of two or three ounces of Tin to an hundred weight \of copper in fusion/ to make the copper\metal/ runn close. The last way is cheapest by 2d in the pound wt & therefore {p} to be preferred. For that money will be least apt to be counterfeited wch has least extrinsic value in proportion to its e|i|ntrinsic\there will |be| least got by counterfeiting that money/ whose workmanship is cheapest.
|4| That the stamp for avoiding \frequent/ trouble to the Queen & Council in altering it, remain one & ye same unless it shall be thought fit |at any| \time/ upon \any/ extraordinary occasions to alter it.
|5| That the the|i||s| money be edged wth such an edging as may {illeg}|be| fittest to prevent counterfeiting by casting.
|6| That >{one} an Importer be {illeg}|a|ppointed to buy & import the copper by weight & receive it back by weight & tale & put the same away.|,| |& that he be paid by the weight of the copper for for his pains & charges.|
|7| That the Master & Worker for the time being be charged & discharged by his Notes as in the coinage of Gold & Silver & be allowed annother\Officer/ \Teller/ for |surveying the| {illeg}|w|eighing \the copper/ & telling the money {illeg} \between hiom &/ the Importer \& entring all receipts & paymts./,|,| |& that if the copper imported be not Th goo prove not good upon the Assay the Master have power to refuse it.|
|[[|That a person be appointed to survey the Meltings & the whole coinage.
|8.| That all the charge of Copper, coinage, coining tools, wages & incidents be paid out of the profits of the coinage,|,| |& that there be no standing salaries \but pa{illeg}/ That the copper to increase the extrinsic value of the money.|
That a person be appointed to survey the meltings &
|9| That it be in the power of the L H. Trearer or Commrs of the Treary for the time being to appoint \by warrant/ what quantity of Copper money shall be coined at any time by his Warrant. And t|T|hat \a coinage of/ about 20 or 30 Tunns once in three or four years is a sufficient quantity \or 50 Tunns once in 6 or 8 years is sufficient/ for supply the \daily/ loss & wast of those that are\the money/ already coined. |{illeg}|&| & may prove too much if ye|
That at prsent the want of copper money \at present/ is very little wanted, but if it shall be thought fir to put the coinage of such money into a standing method {from} We are humbly of opinion that 20 or 30 Tunns it be done upon account
|counterfeiting of the|i||s| Copper money increases. And that a |coinage of| twenty or thirty Tunns or at the most 50 Tunns is abundantly sufficent at present.|
|10| That \such a coinage may be done by a|\from time to time by one & the same/| standing commission & that/ it be in the {illeg}|p|ower of the Ld H. Trearer or Commrs of ye Treary for ye time being to appoint by warrant the quanty of Copper money to be coined at any \at a {prior} time to any/ time, & that for preventing clamours he appoint it by small quantities suppose {illeg}|o|f 10, 20 or 25 Tunns in a Warrant.
|11| That ye Accountant whether he be the Master or the Importer be allowed for \his/ hazzards \trouble/ & charges in Cashkeeping {illeg} & accounting.
