Report on copper coinage schemes

May it please your Lordship

We beg leave to acquaint your Lordship that

Daniel Stuart the Collector of the Bullion for her Majesties Mint at Edinburgh, is dead (as we hear by the last Post) so that when the & to represent our opinion that the place of Collector of the Bullion should cease [as being contrary to the Scotch Act of Parliament which setled the Bullion upon the said Mint [& that the oneys in his custody be paid into the hands of the General & Master of the said Mint to be kept in a chest in the Treasure of the said Mint under the keys of the General the Master & the two WArdens of the said Mint, & to be accounted for annually by the Master of the said Mint.] And the said Bullion for the future be the manner appointed by the Scotch Act of Parliament which setled this Duty on the Mint & be kept apart in the Exchequer in a proper chest under the key of the Cash Keeper of North Brittain & also (if it be thought fit) under the Key of the General of the said Mint as the said Act directs, to be issued out thence from time to time by Warrants to the General & Master of the said Mint & kept in the Treasury of the said Mint under the keys of the General the Master & the Wardens for defraying of the charge of coynage & repairs & vaynes of Salaries & be accounted for annually by the Master as the Indenture of her Majesties Mints directs.

For putting an end to proposals & petitions about the coynage of Copper half pence I humbly represent that about six hundred Tunns of such money is sufficient to stock England & there being seven hundred Tunns coyned by the last Patent, the nation is still sufficiently stockt with them so that a new coynage may be delayed two or three years longer or above & when such money shall be wanted I am humbly of opinion that the coynage of 40 Tunns once in 4 or 5 years will be sufficient to supply the uses of the nation & that it should be coyned of such copper as will endure the hammer when heated to a dark red & (upon account or by a neare estimate) of such a value as will pay all charges & that it will be cheapest & best to have the whole coinage performed in the Mint the blanks being made by casting, & that the copper be bought at the Market price to be allowed by your Lordship & paid for by the Master & Worker out of the copper money. And that a pound weight be not made into more then 20d unless the price of Copper rise considerably.