PROCEEDINGS

of the

ROYAL IRISH ACADEMY

VOLUME XXXIII, SECTION C, No. 3

M. S. DUDLEY WESTROPP

NOTES ON IRISH MONEY WEIGHTS AND
FOREIGN COIN CURRENT IN IRELAND

DUBLIN
HODGES FIGGIS, & CO., LTD
LONDON: WILLIAMS & NORGATE
1916
 
Price One Shilling

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III.

NOTES ON IRISH MONEY WEIGHTS AND FOREIGN COIN CURRENT IN IRELAND

By M. S. DUDLEY WESTROPP

PLATE V.

Read January 10. Published March 16, 1916.

As at a comparatively early period coins were thin, irregular in shape, and liable to be broken and clipped, the necessity for ascertaining their true weight arose, hence the employment of money weights.

Later on, the introduction of foreign coin as legal currency made their use still more necessary. In England various proclamations relating to money weights occur from early in the thirteenth century. A proclamation of the year 1421 directed that Bartholomew Goldbeter, John Paddeslie, and John Brerner, of London, goldsmiths, and John Derlyngton, campsor and assayer of the Mint in the Tower of London, and Gilbright Vanbranburgh, engraver in the same, should be authorized to make weights for the noble, half-noble, and farthing of gold sufficient for the several cities and boroughs, and to form ten puncheons for each weight, five of them with as impression of a crown, and the other five with a fleur-de-lis. And in the year 1422-3 John Bernes, of London, goldsmith, was appointed by the King to make the money weights for the noble, half-noble, and quarter-noble, and to stamp them according to the statute of the year 1421.

Similar proclamations were issued during the sixteenth and sevententh centuries. One of October 12th, 1587, ordered that no counterfeit pieces of current gold coin be received, or any piece lacking the just weight. And in order to enable all persons to ascertain the lawful weight, the Warden of the Mint was ordered to prepare upright balances and true weights of every piece of gold lawfully current in the realm, to be struck with an ‘E’ crowned.

With regard to Ireland, references to weights for weighting the coin do

An Act of Parliament (44 George III, chap. 71) was passed to prevent the counterfeiting of the Bank of England dollar tokens. These, together with the counterstruck dollars, were largely counterfeited in various ways. Some were forged by taking two genuine dollars, filing them down to about the thickness of brown paper, then soldering the obverse and reverse to a copper disc, and plating the edge; others were made of a disc of Sheffield plate stamped out in a disc, while others again were base metal plated and stamped. The counterfeiting appears to have been done chiefly in Birmingham. See “Numismatic Circular” (Spink), September-October, 1915.

As the Spanish dollars were still largely counterfeited, they were restruck in 1804, and were slightly larger than the original dollars. Dies were prepared by Mathew Bolton of Birmingham, the obverse with the head of

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George III, and the reverse with “five shillings dollar” in an oval enclosing Britannia seated.

The following notice appears in Faulkner’s “Dublin Journal” of July 17th, 1804 :— “Bank of Ireland. Notice is hereby given that the dollars stamped into silver tokens at Mr. Boulton’s manufactory which the Bank of Ireland is now issuing for six shillings each will be received in payment again at the Bank at the same rate, provided they shall not be defaced or mutilated or any way rendered lighter except from the operation of common wear.

“By order,
“THOMAS WILLIAMS, Secretary.
 

“N.B.—The Bank reserves the power to call them in at any time upon giving three months’ notice.”

These dollar tokens had on the obverse the bust of George III similar to that on the English ones, and on the reverse Hibernia seated and “Bank of Ireland Token, six shillings, 1804.”

Dollar tokens appear to have been in use until April 5th, 1819 (58 George III, chap. 14), the first five-shilling pieces of George III being issued in 1818. With the withdrawal of the Spanish dollars the currency of foreign coin in Ireland ceased.

A proclamation was issued on July 1st, 1817, for regulating the weights for the gold coin. Those more deficient in weight than the following were not to pass as current :—

                       Dwt.grs.                             Dwt.grs.
   Guineas,              5   8       Seven-shilling pieces,   1  18
   Half-guineas,         2  16       Sovereigns,              5   2¾
   Quarter-guineas,      1   8

The half-sovereign, made current by proclamation, October 10th, 1817, was to weigh 2 dwt. 13½ grs.

Money weights for guineas, half-guineas, sovereigns, and half-sovereigns continued to be used, some being made in Dublin during the first half of the nineteenth century by Samuel Gatchell. The latest weights that have come under my notice are sovereign and half-sovereign weights of the Royal mint of 1843.

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EXPLANATION OF PLATE V.

Obverse and Reverse of each Weight, slightly reduced.

1. 17dwt., c. 1660, for the Mexico or Seville Piece of Eight, the Rix and Cross Dollars.
2. 8dwt. 12grs., 1670-80, for the Half Peru Piece of Eight. By Richard Lord.
3. 4dwt. 6grs. 1670, for the Quarter Peru Piece of Eight. By Richard Lord.
4. 19dwt. 14grs. 8m., 1714, for the French Silver Louis. By Vincent Kidder.
5. 2dwt. 1683. One of the three extra weights issued.
6. 17dwt., 1697, for the Peru Piece of Eight. By John Cuthbert and Henry Paris.
7. 10dwt. 8grs., 1698, for the Half Ducatoon. By Vincent Kidder.
8. 6dwt. 22grs., l709, for the Moidore of Portugal. By Vincent Kidder.
9. 8dwt. 12grs., 1683, for the Half Peru Piece of Eight. By John Cuthbert and Henry Paris.
10. l7dwt., 1679, Cork. For the Mexico or Seville Piece of Eight, the Rix and Cross Dollars. By Richard Smart.
11. 18dwt. l0½grs., 1737, for the piece of New Gold of Portugal. By William Archdall.
12. 17dwt. 8grs., 1718, for the Spanish Quadruple Pistole or Double Doubloon. By Vincent Kidder.
13. 1dwt., 1697 or 1698. One of the three extra weights issued. By Vincent Kidder.
14. l7dwt. 8grs. 1718 for the Spanish Quadruple Pistole or Double Doubloon. By Vincent Kidder.
15. 9dwt. 5¼grs., 1751, for the Half piece of the New Gold of Portugal. By Henry Archdall.
16. 2dwt 14½grs., 1760, for the Half French Louis d'Or. By James Warren.
17. 5dwt 3grs., 1751. Henry Archdall's initials. For guineas before the reign of George III.
18. 5dwt. 3grs., 1760. James Warren’s initials. For guineas before the reign of George III.
19. 5dwt., 1775. By John Locker, Dublin,
20. 5dwt. 8grs., c. 1800 By Samuel Gatchell, Dublin. For the guinea.

August 16th, 1642. Ordered that a committee of this House shall repair to the Lords Justices and make known to their Lordships the great loss received by all sorts of His Majesty’s subjects in this kingdom by the making of Spanish Ryals of eight, current here for fourteen groats, whereas the same are of much less value in England, and in many places not current there : and, therefore, to move their lordships to make these Ryals current only for thirteen groats, if they have the power to do so, otherwise they will think of some way of making the same known to His Majesty, to the end that the same may be current for thirteen groats only after Michaelmas next. (Irish House of Lords Journals.)

November 5th, 1652. Kilkenny. Whereas there has been a custom of late years in this country of passing current clipped English money and likewise all Spanish money called Ryals or pieces of eight, with many other sorts of foreign coin, at a far-higher rate than true ; ordered and declared that it may he lawful for all persons to refuse clipped English money unless tendered according to the true value by weight. That no sort of Spanish money called Ryals or pieces of eight nor Rix, Flemish or crosse dollars, nor any other of that kind that have usually passed at the rate of five shillings, be henceforth enforced in payment for any more than at the rate of four shillings and sixpence, and the half- and quarter-pieces proportionately. Likewise, that no Philip’s money called Ducatoons, usually received for six shillings, be enforced in payment for more than five shillings and sixpence and the half Ducatoons proportionately. That no French money called Quardeques shall he enforced in payment for or above the value of four shillings and sixpence, and no other foreign coin to be enforced in payment. (Public Record Office, Dublin.)

In the year 1652 the Irish Council made several representations to England with reference to the great quantities of counterfeit and clipped English money and base Peru pieces which were brought into Ireland.

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The Peru pieces which were current for four shillings and sixpence were upon assay found to be not worth more than two shillings and fourpence.

January 29th, 1660-1. A proclamation by the Lords Justices and Council. By the King’s authorization, and for removing the evils which ensue to the country by reason of the scarcity of coin in the kingdom, we declare that the following gold and silver coins now in or to be brought into the Kingdom shall be allowed and shall pass in all payments to and from His Majesty as current money, and as if they were sterling money, at the following rates:—

GOLD.

                                            Dwt.grs.   £  s. d.
   The Golden Rider,                         6  12     1  2  6
   The half Golden Rider,                    3   6     0 11  3
   The Spanish or French quadruple Pistole, 17   8     3  4  0
   The Spanish or French double Pistole,     8  16     1 12  0
   The Spanish or French single Pistole,     4   8     0 16  0
   The Spanish or French half Pistole,       2   4     0  8  0
   The Double Ducat,                         4  12     0 18  0
   The Single Ducat,                         2   6     0  9  0
   The Spanish Suffrain,                     7   2     1  8  6
   The half Spanish Suffrain,                3  13     0 14  3

SILVER.

   The Mexico or Sevile Piece of Eight,}
   The Rix Dollar or Cross Dollar,     }    17   0     0  4  9
   The half         do.          do.         8  12     0  2  4½
   The quarter      do.          do.         4   6     0  1  2¼
   The half quarter do.          do.         2   3     0  0  7¾
   The Portugal Royal,                      14   0     0  3  8
   The half-Royal,                           7   0     0  1 10
   The quarter-Royal,                        3  12     0  0 11
   The Ducatoon,                            20  16     0  5  9
   The half-Ducatoon,                       10   8     0  2 10½
   The quarter-Ducatoon,                     5   4     0  1  5¼
   The old Peru Piece and French Lewis,     17   0     0  4  6
   The half      do.        do.              8  12     0  2  3
   The quarter   do.        do.              4   8     0  1  1½

The piece commonly called the Cardescu to pass as it now does.

In case any of the pieces of gold or silver made current, as above, shall want the weight therein laid down, there shall be allowance given of two

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pence for each grain in the gold coin, and three pence for each dwt. in the silver coin. When the defects are so made up, they shall pass as if they were sterling and current in England. Unless the above coins are of the above weight, or unless such defects be made good, nobody shall be compelled to accept them in payment. Mayors, Sheriffs, Portreeves, Bailiffs, Officers of Corporations, and Justices of the Peace shall decide any difference arising according to the foregoing rule. (Calendar of State Papers, Ireland.)

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all money-weights for weighing gold coin current in this kingdom, in the room of Henry Archdall. James Warren has now a quantity of these weights ready for sale at his shop at the sign of St. Dunstan in Skinner Row, Dublin, and to prevent any person or persons counterfeiting the same, I have put I W ¹ on one side thereof, affixed the date of the present year 1760 thereon, and marked my grains in like manner. The said weights and grains are sold nowhere else in this kingdom.”

Also in “Sleater’s Public Gazetteer” of September 24th to 27th, 1768, another advertisement appears :—

“James Warren, goldsmith and jeweller and maker of the money-weights for weighing all gold coin current in this kingdom, by authority of the Government, takes the liberty to inform his friends and the public that he has removed from Skinner Row to the sign of St. Dunstan, on Cork Hill, within two doors of Copper Alley, where the public may be supplied with money-weights and all sorts of the best money-scales. He also sells goldsmith and apothecary weights.”

James Warren’s name appears in Dublin Directories as maker of the money-weights until 1782. The year 1760 appears to have been the last in which a dated set of Irish money-weights was issued. The other years which have come under my notice, in which sets were issued are 1670, 1680, 1683, 1697, 1698, 1709, 1714, 1718, 1737, 1738 and 1751. The weights were invariably made of brass.

A proclamation by the King, June 24th, 1774, ordered that all gold coins as set out by the Commissioners of the Treasury, July 21st, 1773, were to be broken and cut if more deficient in weight than the following :—

                                                                      Dwt.grs.
   Guineas coined since December 31st, 1771,                            5   8
   Half Guineas coined since December 31st, 1771,                       2  16
   Guineas coined during reign of George III and before Jan. 1st, 1772, 5   6
   Half-guineas coined during reign of George III and before
      Jan. 1st, 1772,                                                   2  14
   Quarter-guineas coined, during the reign of George III and before
      Jan. 1st, 1772,                                                   1   7
   Guineas coined before the reign of George III,                       5   3
   Half-guineas coined before the reign of George III,                  2  13

All gold coin more deficient in weight than aforesaid shall not pass current in Great Britain. (“London Gazette,” June 21 to 25, 1774.)

¹The I and the W appear on either side of the shield of arms on the reverse of the weights.

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An Act of Parliament (14 George III, chap. 92) ordered that one guinea weight and one shilling weight and also other weights, being parts and multiples of the said guinea and shilling weights, were to be made. Duplicates of the same were also to be made, and all weights were to be regulated by the duplicates, and after having been compared and found to be just and true should be marked with a stamp or mark to be approved by the Master of the Mint.

Notice was given in the “London Gazette” of December 13th, 17th, and 24th, 1774, that John Whitehurst was appointed to stamp or mark all weights for weighing gold or silver coin. The mark or stamp to be an imperial crown.

Money weights dating from after 1774 occur struck with various stamps, such as a coffee-pot, a lion passant, an anchor, &c., but I have not been able to find any reference to the use of these marks.

Joseph Sage was appointed stamper of weights in 1788, and perhaps a change of marks took place then.

From this time onward it seems that any person could make the money weights, provided that, on being found true, they were struck with the official stamp. The names of two Dublin goldsmiths appear on guinea weights — “John Locker, 1775,” and “William Moore, 1 Capel Street.” Moore worked in No. 1 Capel Street, from 1774 to 1781. Also in the “Limerick Chronicle” of July 13th, 1786, an advertisement appears of Charles Harrison, watchmaker, who states he makes gold scales and weights.

The following is a list of the makers of money weights for use in Ireland, as far as can at present be ascertained :—

 Sir Thomas Aylesbury,              1632  James Warren, Dublin,    1760—1782
 Richard Lord, Dublin,         1670-1683  John Locker, Dublin,          1775
 John Cuthbert and Henry Paris,           William Moore, Dublin,        1775
   Dublin,                     1683—1698  Samuel Gatchell, Dublin,      1800
 Vincent Kidder, Dublin,       1698-1736  Richard Smart, Cork,          1679
 William Archdall, Dublin,     1736—1751  Charles Harrison, Limerick,   1786
 Henry Archdall, Dublin,       1751—1760

The following notices appear in Faulkner’s “Dublin Journal,” April 6 to 8, 1775 :— “Tower money weights, under patent of the Great Seal of England, landed this day, and to be had at Craig’s in Parliament Street, on which the public may rely with the utmost safety. Scales and beams constructed on an entirely new construction.”

April 27 to 29, 1775 :— “Micheal Cormick, goldsmith, sells tower stamped weights. By royal authority:”

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It was stated that large quantities of coins in imitation of those of Portugal were made in Birmingham, and an order was issued to stop all such coins, dated Dublin, March 8th, 1775. (Faulkner’s “Dublin Journal,” March 16 to 18, 1775.)