Draft of MINT00589 (Mint 19/2/301), with amendments in another hand, and signed by the Mint Board

<420r>

To ye. Rt: Honble: Sidney Ld: Godoilpihin. Ld: Treasurr: of England

May it please Yor Ldp:

In Obedience to yor: Ldps: Order of Reference of the 16th. of Iune last past, upon ye annext Proposal of Mr: Abel Slaney, for himself, & Partners, for a new Coynage of 700 Tuns of half pence & Farthings We do humbly acquaint yor: Ldp: that We have enquir'd into all the Coynages of that sort, since ye Year {illeg}1672. And do find that in ye Reigns of King Charles ye 2d, King Iames ye 2d, & in ye beginning of ye Reign of ye late King & Queen, the coinage of halfpence & farthings was performed by One, or more Commissioners, who had money imprested from ye Excheqr: to buy Copper, & Tin, and coin'd at 20d ꝑ pound Haverdupois And accounted upon Oath to ye Governmt: for ye Produce thereof.

That upon calling in ye Tin Farthings, & halfpence, (by reason of ye Complaints made against them) there was a Patent granted to ye Proposer & others, who contracted to change ye Tin Farthings, & halfpence, and to enable them to bear that charge, they were allow'd to Coin 700 Tuns at 21d ꝑ pound weight, without being accountable to ye Governmt: Which reason now ceasing, We are humbly of opinion, that ye former Method, by Commission is most advantagious to ye Government. [And {illeg}e particularly,especially yeif ye same Method be used for coining Copeer, that is observ'd for Gold, & Silver; vizt: that Money be imprest from time to time to ye papera fitt Officer of ye Mint, to buy Copper. That ye Coinage be carry'd on under ye Care, & direction of ye Principal Officers of ye mint who shall keep due Entrys thereof in their Books, and that ye whole profit, and advantage of such Coinage be accounted for to her Majesty.]

We do not hear there is any demand of farthings, & halfpence at present, & thô there should be a want in some places, it seems to proceed from an unequal distribution; for we are inform'd they are overstock'd with them in others places; As at the General-Post-Office, about Newcastle, & at Leicester.

We are further of Opinion yt ye Coinage of Halfpence & Farthings in this Kingdom should be to ye intrinsick value, (ye charges of the Coinage & Incidents deducted) but if that be not thought advisable at prsent for fear of stopping ye Currency of those that are already abroad, We humbly conceive that whenever a new Coinage shall be thought convenient, it should be done in such small Quantities, as her Matie: from time to time shall appoint, to supply ye decrease, & loss of those already coin'd, without danger of new Complaints by overstocking the Nation.

All which is most humbly submitted to yor Lordps

great Wisdom.

[1]

I Stanley

Is. Newton

In. Ellis.

<421v>

Report of ye Officers of the Mint, upon ye proposal of Mr Abel Slaney for Coining Copper halfpence and Farthings.

Entred in the {illeg} book