Copy of letter concerning the values of standards
To the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of Her Majestys Treasury
May it Please Your Lordships
In Obedience to Your Lordships verbal Order concerning the Value of several standards for Plate we humbly lay before your Lordships
That old Plate of eleven ounces two pennyweight of fine silver in the pound weight Troy being of the same standard with the money is of the same value which is 5s: 2d per ounce.
That new Plate of eleven ounces ten penny weight of fine silver in the pound weight Troy is worth 5s: 4d & parts of a penny of about 5s: 4d per ounce.
The Plate of Ten ounces 15 penny weight of fine silver in the pound weight Troy would be worth 5s & parts if a penny, or 5s and about the sixth part of a farthing per ounce. And if the Fraction which is inconsiderable be neglected, it may be reckoned at 5s per ounce.
That Plate of ten ounces four pennyweight of fine silver in the pound weight Troy would be worth 4s. 9d. wanting about the 9th part of a farthing per ounce. And if the fraction which is inconsiderable be neglected, it may be reckoned worth 4s: 9d per ounce.
That Plate of eleven ounces of fine silver in the pound weight Troy would be worth 5s: 1d per ounce abating parts of a penny or a quarter of a Farthing.
And we further take leave to make as near an Estimate as we can of the value of the Plate already made
That old Plate is worth about 5s & a farthing per ounce for an abatement must be made of about 6d. or 7d. per pound weight for the worseness of the plate, & 10d. or 12d per pound weight for the worseness of the Soder, & 1d. for the Charge of melting it into Ingotts & 2d or 3d per pound weight for the Waste in that melting, that is in all about 21d per pound weight, or seven farthings per Ounce.
That new Plate according to the best of our Iudgements is worth about 5s: 2d per ounce, for an abatement must be made of about 8d. or 10d. per pound weight for the worseness of the Plate, & 10d. or 12d. per pound weight for the worseness of the Soder and 1d per pound weight for the charge of melting it into Ingotts, & 2d or 3d per pound weight for the Waste in that melting, that is, in all about 2s. per pound weightor 2d. per ounce.
All which is most humbly submitted to your Lordships great Wisdom
C P. Is: N I. Ell
25. Apl. 1711.
Source
MINT 1/7/61, National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK25 Apr 1711, c. 452 words.