Report on the coining of a consignment of gold from New England, with details of the quality of the metal and the expenses incurred in receiving it
To the Rt Honble the Lord High Treasurer of England.
May it please yor Lordp
In purusance of yor Lordps verbal Order for coyning her Majties Gold wch came from New England, the same has been opened, weighed, melted into Ingots & coyned. It was full weight, but the dust Gold was very foule & being examined with a Loadstone was found full of iron filings, & therefore in the melting lost something more then two pounds in weight, & remained very brittle. The gross weigh{illeg}t by the Envoys was 65Lwt. 10oz. 11dwt. 5gr. The standard weight after melting & toughnin{illeg}g was 65lwt. 10oz. 11dwt. 5gr, & being coyned it made 2944 Guineas, & 22 grains over: wch after the rate of 21s 6d the Guinea & 2d the grain, amounts to 3164li. 19s. 8d., as in the Weigher & Tellers Account annexed.
The charges of sending an Officer of the Mint to Portsmouth & bringing the Gold from thence & melting the same into Ingots were 9li. 19s. 6d, as in the Bill annexed, withou{illeg}t allowing the Officer any thing for his trouble, who in modesty would make no demand on that account. I humbly pray yor Lordps Warrant for paying the surplus into the Exchequer.
All which is most humbly submitted to yor Lordps
great wisdome
Is. Newton
In the Envoys the Gold is recconed at 5li 5s the
ounce, supposing it perfectly fine, & counting a
Crown piece at six shillings; wch is the rate
in the Plantations: & by this recconing they the Gold is valued in ye Envoys at 4137li. 15s. 9d. By abating
value
one shilling in six & allowing for the wast
in melting & toughning & for the want of
perfect fineness, the value comes down to
3164li. 19s. 8d as above.
Source
MINT 19/2/569, National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK4 March 1705/6, c. 306 words.