On the need to supply the Edinburgh Mint with trial plates, weights, dies and Mint marks
May it please your Lordship
Speaking yesterday with my Lord Chancellour of Scotland about the Mint at Edinborough, his Lordship proposed to us to lay before your Lordship a memorial concerning some things which his Lordship thought might be proper to be considered by the committee of Council which is to sit to morrow upon the affairs of Scotland. His Lordship thinks that the Pix of that Mint may be still tried before her Majesties Council in Scotland as formerly & if so we are humbly of opinion that in conformity to the Act of Vnion there may be made seven Trial pieces of Crown gold & seven of standard silver two of each metal for the two Treasuries to try the Pixes two of each for the Wardens of the two Mints to try the moneys before delivery, two of each for the Masters of each Mint to make the moneys by & one of each for the Wardens & Company of Goldsmiths in London to try their plate & manufactures of gold & silver.
It will be also convenient that a Pile of standard weights be made for the Treasury in Scotland by the Deputy Chamberlains of the Exchequer
The Gravers are making shillings Puncheons with the arms of great Britain which may be sent to the Mint at Edinborough: And while they are coyning shillings, there may be puncheons made for other money. We believe it may be sufficient to send them Puncheons with two or three pairs of Dyes of every sort for patterns. For distinguishing the money coyned at Edinburgh from that coyned in London there may be the letter E set under her Majesties Effigies.
If it be thought fit there may be dues of the old form sent them for coyning sixpences & shillings untill Puncheons of the new form can be made, which we hope will be in a fortnight or three weeks.
In the late recoynage of the hammered money in England in every hundred pounds there were ten pounds coyned in sixpences & 40 pounds in shillings, & the Master of the Mint at Edinborough may be obliged to keep the same proportions during the recoinage in that Mint.
The Pile of Standard weights should be delivered at the Tower by the Warden to the General of the Mint in Scotland Scotland by Bill indented under their hands, may in the absence of the General be delivered to your Lordships order to be conveyed or sent to that Mint, the same being first printed with a Rose & Thistle growing upon one common stalk & crowned with one common crown, And the Date being stamped upon it.
Source
MINT 19/3/68, National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UKMay 1707, c. 551 words.