Reply to a query about the engravers' patent

<172r>

To the Rt. Hon:ble the Lord High Treasurer of England

May it please yor. Lordp.

A Question being moved about a Clause in the Gravers Patent I humbly beg leave to lay the matter before your Lordship. All persons haveing a liberty to make Medals unless restrained by the Government the Gravers of the Mint have by a clause in their Patent been allowed and all others prohibited to make Medals wth the Effigies of ye King or Queen. And this Place of Medal maker to the Crown has been sometimes encouraged by a large salary out of the Civil List & sometimes granted to strangers and is no part of the constitution of the Mint For by the standing constitution of the Mint the Moneyers coyn whatever the Government wants whether Money Medals or Healing pieces, the metal weight allay & form of the money & medals being first appointed by the King or Queen by the advice of the Council, and the Graver only makes the Stamps. This I take to be the proper way of coyning such Medals as the Government approves of & I am humbly of opinion that no other Medals should be coyned by the Mint The Gravers privilege of makeing other Medals for their private advantage is an encouragement to them to improve themselves and to be content with less salaries. If it be continued they may be obliged to set their names or the first letters thereof on their own Medals to distinguish them from Medals made by the Mint or otherwise limited as your Lordp shall think fit, if abrogated they may want some other encouragement to improve themselves & may expect to be paid for the Dyes & Puncheons they make for Medals, Whether it shall be continued & in what manner or be abrogated is most humbly submitted to your Lordships great wisdom

<text in Isaac Newton’s hand begins>Mint Office Oct. 12
    1704.

Is. Newton

<173v>

Mr Newtons Representation concerning the office of Graver of Medalls.

16 Oct 1704 My Lord will speak wth the officers of ye Mint.