The Defects in the present Constitution of the Mint Humbly Offered to the Consideration of the Honourable House of Commons

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The Defects in the present Constitution of the MINT.
Humbly Offered to the Consideration of the
Honourable House of Commons

IT [1]hath been proved and demonstrated before the Committe appointed to Examine into the Abuses of the Mint. 1. That there hath been a great quantity of Counterfeit Money Coyned in the Mint. 2. That there hath been Puncons given out of the Mint to make Stamps to Counterfeit Money with. 3. That our present Money is so disingeniously Coyned, that it may be easily Debased, Diminished, and Counterfeited.

All which has been occasioned by the want of an Officer Skill'd in all the parts of Coyning; which are these following. 1. The Essay-Master makes the Bullion Standard. 2. The Melter casts it into Barrs for Flatting. 3. The Flatter makes it fit for the Cutter. 4. The Cutter, Sizer, and Boyler makes it fit for Milling. 5. The Engineer Mills it fit for Stamping. 6. The Graver makes the Stamps for the Impression. 7. It is Stampt with an Engine, and then it is finsihed.

[2]Now there is none of the said Officers, or Work-men, know whether the Essay-Master hath made the Bullion Standard, which is 11 Ounces, 2d. Weight fine, and 18d. Weight of Alloy.

Nor is there any of them know whether the Melter doth Mould and Temper the Bullion so fit for the Impression, as it might be done.

Neither do any of the rest understand the Bnsiness {sic} of the Engineer, or the Smith &c (that is) whether the Engines are made, and the Money Mill'd so Artfully as they might have done it.

[3]Nor do any of them understand whether the Graver doth perform his part so well as he ought, or could do it; nor He, whether the rest of the Work-men do their several Works as it might be done: Now every one doing his Business as may be most for his own Advantage, they not knowing the Reason of each others Defects cannot rectifie the said Abuses, by which means the Money is Coyned so defectively, that it is very easily Debased, Diminished, and Counterfeited; so that probably our Money, will in a short time, be as deficient as it hath been of late.

Therefor to prevent the said Abuses for the future,

It is humbly Proposed,

[4]That there should be an Officer added to the Mint, who understands Melting, Essaying, Alloying, Graving, Smiths-work, and all other parts of Coyning, who shall supervise the whole Work, and Essay the Money when Coyned, and make Report upon Oath, (how the said Work is performed) once every Month to the Lord High Treasurer of England, or the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury for the time being.

AND [5]whereas our present Money is so Blind, Smooth, Flat, and such bad Workmanship, that it is difficult to distinguish the Counterfeit from the true Coyne and is so very easily Counterfeited, and Diminished, that every Smith Brasier, Founder, Tincker, &c. can do it with great speed and Secrecy, viz by Casting in Sand, Whiteing, Alablaster, Chalk, &c. or by Stamping with a Hammer of three Pound weight; and also can be diminish'd by Fileing, and Mill'd again with a small Tool, and a Mallet, which is a great Grievance to this Kindgdom, to have our Money Coyned so disingeniously, that it can be Counterfeited with so much Ease and Privacy, As appears by the great quantities of Counterfeit Money already abroad.

Therefore to prevent the said Grievance for the future

A Method is humbly Proposed, how Money may be Coyned, so that it will be Morally impossible to Connterfeit {sic} it.

All Coyning is done either by Casting, or Stamping.

[6]Therefore to prevent Counterfeiting of Money by Casting, it should be Mill'd with a Hollow, or Groove, and then it will be certainly impossible to Counterfeit Money by Casting it, And that this may appear to be true, The Proposer hereof humbly offers, that one of the Exemplary Pieces he hath made, and given to the aforesaid Committee, may be referred to Goldsmiths-Hall and Fouders-Hall, to make their Reports, whether it be Practicable to Cast it, or not.

And to prevent Counterfeiting of Money by Stamping it.

[7]The Heads, Letters, and Arms should be so curiously done that few in the Kingdom could do it so well; and rise up so high that it could not be Stampt but with an Engine of a Tun Weight, or by the strength of Horses, Wind, or Water, and then it would be morally impossible to Counterfeit Money without being discovered; whereas now the Money being such bad Workmanship, and so Flat, every Graver, Smith, Watchmaker, &c. can Grave Stamps to Counterfeit Money, and Stamp it with a Hammer, upon a Stone, as an Experiment hath been shewed before the said Committee.

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If it be Objected. That to Coyne Money after this Method, will put some stop to the Mint, and be a great Charge to the King.

It is humbly Answer'd,

That to Mill the Money with a Hollow, or Grooves, Tools may be made in very few Days, and with little Charge.

[8]And the Proposer hereof can direct how the same Engines now used in the Mint, may with little trouble and Charge be made to Stamp up the Impression so high, as to make it impossible to do it with a Hammer, or a small Engine as now it may be done.

And to make all the Engines go with Horses, may be done for about 100l. Charge and then two Horses will do all the Work, which now Imploys 70 or 80. Men, and Stamp the Money up so high, as to make it impossible to be Counterfeited, by Stamping without Discovery.

[9]If the Proposer hereof might have Priviledge to make a Meddal of the King's Head and Arms, he can do it so, that it would be demonstrable in it self to be more Beautiful, and Durable than now our Coyne is made, and that it would be morally impossible to Counterfeit it:

And it is humbly presumed, That it should be the Rule in Coyning our Money, to give it such Figure that will most defend it from Diminishing and Counterfeiting.

The Proposer hereof being order'd to perform some of his Proposals in the Mint, the Officers and Workmen did not Object against any of his Propositions, but allowed them to be Practicable and Effectual, according to what he had offer'd; but their present Constitution is such, that they cannot Comptrol one another, although they approve of this method which appears, for he Printed the same, and offered it to them three Years ago.

[10]In the time of the Roman Emperors, there Money was Coyned with Water-mills, which Stampt the Impression so high, that neither a Hammer, nor any Engine now used in the Mint can do it which made the Money so durable, that some of it hath lasted near 2000 Years very perfect: And at this time in Italy Swedland Germany, &c they Stamp Money and Meddals with Water-Engines, So that it appears to be Practicable and Useful

All which is humbly submitted

to your Honours greater Judgment,

William Chaloner.

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The defects of the Mint, And how to Coyn Money so that it cannot be Counterfeited.