Printed proclamation prohibiting the exchange of guineas for more than 21s., with commensurate figures for other gold coins

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By the King,
A PROCLAMATION,

Declaring the Rates at which Gold shall be Current in Payments.

GEORGE R.

Whereas the Value of the Gold, compared with the Value of the Silver in the Current Coins of this Realm, as Paid and Received, is greater in Proportion than the Value of Gold is to the Value of Silver in the Neighbouring Nations; and the Over-valuation of Gold in the Current Coins of this Realm hath been a great Cause of Carrying out and Lessening the Species of the Silver Coins thereof, which is highly Prejudicial to the Trade of this Kingdom: And whereas the Commons in Parliament have by their Address humbly besought Vs, That We would be Graciously Pleased to Issue Our Royal Proclamation, to forbit all Persons to Vtter or Receive any of the Pieces of Gold, called Guineas, at any greater or higher Rate than One and twenty Shillings for each Guinea, and to proportionably for any greater or lesser Pieces of Coined Gold; Which We have Graciously <120r> Condescended unto. Now for and towards Remedying the said Evil, We have thought fit, with the Advice of Our Privy Council, to Issue this Our Royal Proclamation, hereby strictly Prohibiting all and every Person and Persons whatsoever to Vtter or Receive any of the Pieces of Gold Coin of this Kingdom, commonly called Guineas (Which in Our Mint Were Coined only at Twenty Shillings each, but have been by Our Subjects Paid and Received at the Rate of One and twenty Shillings and Six Pence each) at any greater or higher Rate or Value than One and twenty Shillings for each Guinea, and so proportionably for the Pieces of Gold, called Half-Guineas, Double-Guineas, and Give Pound Pieces; And the other Pieces of Antient Gold Coin of this Kingdom, Which by their Wearing may be Diminished in their Weight, at any greater or higher Rate or Value than as followeth, That is to say, The Piece of Gold now Received and Paid for Three and twenty Shillings and Six Pence, to be hereafter Received and Paid for Three and twenty Shillings, and no more; The Piece of Gold now Received and Paid for five and twenty Shillings and Six Pence, to be hereafter Received and Paid for five and twenty Shillings, and no more; and so proportionably for smaller Pieces of the like Gold Coin: At which Rates and Values We do hereby Declare the said respective Pieces of Coined Gold to be Current. And We do hereby strictly Charge and Command all Our Loving Subjects Whatsoever, that they do not presume to Receive or Pay the Gold Coins of this Realm at any greater Rates or Values than the Rates and Values aforesaid, upon Pain of Our highest Displeasure, and upon Pain of the greatest Punishment that by Law may be inflicted upon them for their Default, Negligence, and Contempt in this Behalf.

Given at Our Court at St. James's the Twenty second Day of December, 1717. In

the Fourth Year of Our Reign.

God save the King.

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