Chapter II: Part 2

"The States soon perceived that they had either committed a great mistake or that they must yield to public opinion, which was strongly and decidedly opposed to the change ordered. They accordingly, on the 20th of December, 1729, petitioned his Majesty in Council for the recall of the Order in Council, being apprehensive that the said regulations would not answer the ends they at first expected from them. The States, on the 24th of April, 1730, named a deputy in support of their petition. Counsel were heard by the committee of the Privy Council for the States, and also for several members of the States and others who opposed the petition of the States; but the opinion of the committee was, that the Order in Council regulating the currency ought not to be suspended or revoked, but carried into execution. His Majesty in Council, therefore, on the 9th of July, 1730, ordered that the said Order in Council of the 22nd of May, 1729, be carried into execution: but that during the term of six months from the date hereof all creditors in the said Island do receive their debts, if tendered to them at the rate at which the coins went current immediately before making the aforesaid Order in Council; and, in case of refusal, that such creditors do forfeit one-third of their debts to the benefit of the debtors."

In 1774, in France, from whence the small change for the Channel Islands was being obtained, the _sou_ was equivalent to twelve deniers, the _double-liard_ or _half-sou_ to six deniers, and the _liard_ or _quarter-sou_ to three deniers.

"Established custom, and the relative value of coins, proved of greater force than the Orders in Council. Livres, and sous, and liards tournois continued, in fact, the currency of the Island at their old rate; and many of the native inhabitants of the Island still keep their accounts, or make their reckonings, in the livre tournois--the livre being estimated at twenty sous, and the sou at four liards or twelve deniers. When the English currency was, in the year 1835, adopted as the legal currency of the Island, it was done by declaring the relative value which it bore in circulation to the livre tournois. This was to meet the objections which were raised to the adoption of the English standard with regard to wheat rents, and other mortgages, which were estimated in the old currency tournois. Twenty-six livres tournois, or old French currency, were declared to be equivalent to one pound sterling, which was, and is now, the current rate.

"Allusion is still made in some legal and official documents to order-money or, as it is called, argent d'ordre, or argent selon l'ordre du roi. But the question may reasonably be asked, 'What is order-money? What is the standard of order-money? Does order-money really exist, or has it ever existed?' The livre of order-money is considered worth fifty per cent. more than the livre-tournois; and the distinction is supposed to be derived from the Order in Council of the year 1729. But that Order in Council did not establish that difference: it did not change the relative value of the sou and the livre. There was, in fact, no such thing as order-money, except for liards, and thus it did not apply to sous or livres. The value of the liard, as compared to the sou, was, it is true, changed and regulated; but the relative value of the sol, compared with the livre, could not be changed or affected thereby; it remained the same as before. There were twenty sous to the livre: the coin, the sou in circulation, was not enlarged, or made of more intrinsic value. Such as it was before, such it remained still. There was no other sou or livre known or acknowledged in use than the tournois; and the Order in Council did not substitute any other. The Order in Council could not, with any degree of fairness or justice, be supposed to affect those persons who paid their accounts in sous or livres, or in gold or silver, and not in liards. This was not, however, the view taken of the Order; and hence the indignation felt; for the interpretation given, and the claim of fifty per cent. more than was in fact due, bore the semblance of great injustice.

"The present value in circulation in Jersey of English silver coin will illustrate my meaning. The shilling passes current for twenty-six sous, or thirteen pence of old Jersey currency; but the value of the shilling is not intrinsically or really changed--whether it is called twelve pence British or thirteen pence Jersey. In either case, a shilling remains a shilling, a pound sterling a pound sterling, worth twenty of the shillings, whether called twelve pence or thirteen pence. The intrinsic value of the coin, of the shilling, is precisely the same; and its relative value to the sovereign is not in the slightest degree modified. The only mode of changing the value of a coin is by an addition of the metal of which it is composed, or by deterioration. If a coin contains the same quantity of metal of the same standard, it does not vary in intrinsic value, whatever may be the denomination given to it, or whatever may be the depreciation of a coin of less value. For the same reason, whether the sou was called six liards or four liards, twelve deniers or eight deniers, that made no difference whatever in the real intrinsic value of the sou or the livre. Persons could not in justice be compelled to pay their accounts in liards, when the amount was stated in livres or sous; and hence to oblige them to pay fifty per cent. more than the amount due, when the amount offered was gold or silver, livres or sous, was egregiously unjust."--_Le Quesne_, page 421.

THE COATS OF ARMS OF THE CHANNEL ISLANDS.

Since the coats of arms for the islands of Guernsey and Jersey appear on the coins minted for these islands in England in the nineteenth century, the following notes may be of interest:--

In 1279 King Edward I. granted a Public Seal, with arms (as for England), to the islands of Jersey and Guernsey. The arms for Guernsey now differ only from those of Jersey in being surmounted by a sprig of laurel, or another plant. It is not, however, stated why or when this sprig was conferred. The arms read--

_Gu_--three lions or leopards passant gardant--_or_.

From the impressions of the Bailiewick seals, at different periods, it appears that slight differences occur. The inscription on the seal for Jersey runs--"S. Ballivic Insule de Jerseye."

Alderney and Sark, being dependencies of Guernsey, have on legal or authoritative documents either the seal as granted for that island or else local seals, as will be specified.

The Rev. G. E. Lee, Rector of St. Peter's, Port Guernsey, communicates the following interesting and very full note on the above-named matter:--

"Edward I., in the 7th year of his reign, November 15th, 1279, granted a seal for the use of both Bailiewicks. The seal used in both islands was the same in all respects, except that one had, as legend, _S. Ballivic Insule de Gerseye_, and the other, _S. Ballivic Insule de Gernseye_. Both seals are appended to a document formerly belonging to the abbey of Mont St. Michel. The seals bore the three lions of England crowned, _and were both surmounted by a branch_, of which more below. The document is of the year 1315. The Guernsey side has the counterseal of Macey de la Court Bailiff. The Jersey counterseal has no name, but bears three lions passant, with some sort of bird as a crest. The Bailiff of Guernsey still uses a _facsimile_ of the original seal. In Jersey the seal has been modernized, and the surmounting branch omitted, perhaps by the carelessness of the engraver. The said branch is usually styled a laurel branch, but why I know not. It has stiff sprays, and I am convinced was intended for the _Plantagenista_, the well-known badge used by King Edward I."

It cannot, however, but be observed that if the sprig be intended to represent the slight, insignificant foliage of the Plantagenista [called "Broom" in the south of England], the design is very unlike and misleading.

As regards the official seals used locally for Alderney and Sark, under date, Alderney, 22nd February, 1895, the Procureur of Alderney informs me:--

"The Guernsey seal is not ours, nor is it ever used by us. A _facsimile_ of our seal and coat of arms is enclosed, but I know not when granted, nor by whom."

This seal is a lion rampant, with a sprig in right paw, and above the legend JUGE D'AUREGNY. The heraldic tinctures are not indicated on the seal.

With reference to the seal used locally for Sark, W. F. Collings, Esquire, informs me, under date, Sark, 8th March, 1895:--

"The seal of the Seigneurs was authorized to be used by act of the Royal Court, Guernsey, bearing date the 12th day of August, 1661, by virtue of a clause in Letters Patent of James I.--of date, August 12th, 1611. The seal was lost in the wreck of the steamer _Gosforth_, November 26th, 1872."

The Rev. G. E. Lee supplements the above as follows:--

"I find that the Alderney seal was granted by the Lords of the Privy Council, on May 23rd, 1745. It bears the legend _Sigillum Curiæ Insulæ Origny, 1745_.

"Origny is an older form than Auregny; the mediæval Latin was _Alrenorium_.

"The seal you have got with _Juge d'Auregny_ is not the official seal I have described, but an adaptation of it doubtless.

"I can gather no record of any minting having ever taken place in Guernsey. There is, however, an estate in the parish of St. Andrew called _La Monnoye_ or _Monnaie_, which _may_ mean 'The Mint.'"

The extract furnished by Mr. Le Brun, vicar of Alderney, with the impression of the seal of that island, is:--

"Sceau ou _cachet accordé_ à La Cour, 1745, Mai 23e. Les Seigneurs du Conseil Privé de Sa Majesté, par leur ordre ou Conseil de ce Jour authorisent (_sic_) la Cour d'Auregny d'avoir un cachet pour certifier tous et tels ecrits qui leur pourront être présentés pour y opposer le sceau."

Under date 27th March, 1895, the Rev. G. E. Lee supplements his previous information:--

"I have seen Sir Edgar MacCulloch, and he agrees with me that the Alderney seal is a creation. I have now seen two documents of Sark. The first, of 1818, is sealed with a large seal, two inches in diameter, in green wax, bearing the de Carteret arms and supporters. The seal is called "Le sceau de la Seigneurie de l'île de Serk." On the reverse is a counterseal, with the arms of the then seigneur, P. Le Pelley.

"The other deed is of 1852, and sealed with the Le Pelley arms, which, on that occasion, are called 'Le sceaux de la Seigneurie de cette île'--the seigneur being P. C. Le Pelley.

"The late Mr. Collings, I suspect, used the de Carteret seal, which seems to have been lost in the wreck of the _Gosforth_. The de Carterets, no doubt, used the seal with their own arms, and some of their successors certainly used this same seal as the official seal for the island."

The _arms_ of the ancient family of de Carteret are, with supporters,

_Gu_--four Fusils in Fess conjoined _arg._,

and _crest_, a squirrel sejant holding a sprig--_ppr._, and their historic motto--"LOYALL DEVOIR."

THE JERSEY SILVER TOKENS OF 1813.

The Hon. Sir C. W. Freemantle, K.C.B., Master of the Royal Mint, has courteously favoured me with particulars of coinages as specially struck for the Channel Islands.

As regards the Jersey 3s. token of 1813, and the 1s. 6d. token of the same date, he says:--

"These were coined at the Royal Mint, under authority from the Committee of Council on Coins, dated 5th February, 1813.

"£10,000 worth of silver bullion was purchased and coined into tokens of 3s. and 1s. 6d., nominal value. The current value of these coins appears to have been £11,473 17s. 6d., but there is no information as to the value of each of the two denominations of coins issued."

The Viscount of Jersey [Le Gros] kindly supplements the above with the following local information:--

"On the 26th October, 1812, the States, having taken into consideration the want of specie and of small coin current in the island--a want which makes itself more and more felt, both amongst the inhabitants and the troops in garrison--decided to order, with the sanction of Government, the coinage of a certain quantity of small silver tokens for circulation in this island. A committee of nine members was named to consider the amount and value of the coins to be issued, and to enquire into the cost of such issue.

"The States requested H.E. the Lieut.-Governor Don to consult His Majesty's Ministers on the matter before proceeding further therein.

"On the 12th December, 1812, a letter from Lord Chetwynd, clerk of the Privy Council, dated 18th November, 1812, in reply to the Lieut.-Governor's application, having been read, the States instructed their Committee to take the necessary steps for the coining and putting in circulation in the island of small silver coins to the value of not more than £10,000 of such amounts and design as they may consider most suitable.

"On the 20th March, 1813, the silver coinage struck at the Royal Mint by authority of the Lords of the Privy Council for circulation in the island, being expected to arrive any day, which coins are of the value some of 3s., some of 1s. 6d., and bear on one side the arms of the island, and on the other their value--the States instructed their Committee to take the necessary steps to put these coins into circulation as soon as they arrive, and the States engaged to take back the coins at their respective value, whenever it may become necessary, after having given one month's notice, both by publication in the several parishes and by advertisements in the local newspapers, to the holders to bring the coins to the Treasurer of the States, and receive the amount thereof."

* * * * *

The Viscount of Jersey [Le Gros], in a letter dated Seafield, 19th October, 1893, further informs me:--

"The result of the issue of these coins was that they were exported in large quantities--to Guernsey especially, and, I am told, to Canada also, where they were at a premium, passing, no doubt, as if of the same value as English coins of the same denominations.

"These coins, or what remained of them in the island, were called in by the States in 1834, in which year English money was declared the sole legal tender."

The above-named two Jersey silver tokens read respectively:--

_O._ STATES OF JERSEY, 18 13 = The arms of Jersey--viz., _gules_,
three lions passant gardant _or._

_R._ THREE | SHILLINGS | TOKEN, in three lines, within a wreath of oak
leaves.

and

_O._ STATES OF JERSEY, 11 13 = the arms of Jersey.

_R._ EIGHTEEN | PENCE | TOKEN, in three lines, within a wreath of oak
leaves.

These silver tokens were the only coins of that metal ever struck for the Channel Islands. The countermarked Spanish dollars, indented "Bishop de Jersey and Co.," belong to Guernsey, and will be noticed together with the other coins of that island.

COPPER AND BRONZE COINAGES OF JERSEY FROM 1841.

The Viscount of Jersey [Le Gros] favours me with the following information:--

"In 1834 it was enacted that from the 1st October, in that year, English money alone should be legal tender in the island, and that the pound sterling should be considered equal to 26 _livres_, old French currency, which was, up to the date above given, currency of the island.

"There being 20 _sous_ to the _livre_, and 20 _shillings_ to the_ pound_, a shilling became the equivalent of 26 _sous_. The value of the Jersey penny, or _pièce de deux sous_, therefore, became 1/13th of a shilling, the half-penny, or sou, 1/26th of a shilling, and the farthing, or _pièce de deux liards_, 1/52nd of a shilling."

As regards the above, in plain English we may call a _livre_ a franc, a _sou_ a half-penny, and a _liard_ a half-farthing, as current in Jersey.

Sir C. W. Fremantle, Deputy-Master of the Royal Mint, has most kindly given me full particulars as to dates and amounts of actual supplies of copper coins to Jersey; and the Viscount of Jersey has furnished me with records of quantities ordered; thus collectors will now be able to judge as to rarity of the different issues, and also to know for certain when they may happen to meet with patterns or coins not sent to Jersey for circulation.

NUMBERS OF PIECES ISSUED.

Pence Half-Pence Farthings
(2 _Sous_).(1 _Sou_). (1/2 _Sou_).

Copper coins bearing date 1841. (The 116,480 232,960 116,480
order, dated 13th July, 1840, was to the
value of £1,000). These, and up to
date, 1871 inclusive, were for 1/13th,
1/26th, and 1/52nd.

There was a further supply in 1844 27,040 232,960 --

On December 13th, 1850, there was an No record.
order, to the value of £1,000, for
copper coins; but there is no record in
the Royal Mint that supply was made
therefrom. Still, both pence and
half-pence of date, 1851, were supplied
for currency, and are still common.

Copper coins of date, 1858 (ordered to 173,333 173,333 --
value of £2,000 on 15th October, 1857).

Copper coins of date, 1861 173,333 173,333 --

Bronze coins of date, 1866, ordered to 173,333 173,333 --
value £2,000 under date 8th Dec, 1864

Ditto, ditto, 1870. In 1869 the old copper 173,333 173,333 --
issues were called in to be used for
recoining and re-issue as bronze
coinage--as type of late bronze coinage
of 1866. These re-coined issues were
dated 1870 and 1871.

Bronze coins of date, 1871 (in continuance 173,333 173,333 --
of last-named order).

Bronze coins of date, 1877. These coins 260,000 312,000 312,000
coins were 1/12th, 1/24th, and 1/48th
of a shilling respectively, instead of
being 1/13th, &c., as previously. On
February 25th, 1876, the leading
tradesmen of Jersey had petitioned the
States to this effect, and the States
ordered £2,000 of the new denominations
accordingly. At the same time, the
coins of former denominations were
called in. This new coinage was ordered
through the Royal Mint, but actually
struck by Messrs. Ralph Heaton, of
Birmingham.

Bronze coins of date, 1881. £260 worth 81,380 -- --
of bronze farthings of 1877, for which
there had been no demand in Jersey,
were sent back to the Mint, and re-coined
into pence, and thus re-issued.

Bronze coins of date, 1888. (£2,000 were 195,000 130,000 --
ordered, but only £1,000 supplied). In
1894 the remainder of the bronze
coinage ordered for Jersey in 1888 was
supplied. The value of this further
supply, bearing date 1894, was £_750_
in coins 1/12th of a shilling, and
£_250_ in coins 1/24th of a shilling.
The original "States" authority was of
the 16th January, 1888, confirmed by
Order in Council dated 17th March,
1888. The first half, £750 and £250
respectively in denominations, had been
re-coined in September, 1888.

The descriptive reading of the first copper coinage of Jersey is as follows, dates and values being altered as required--values issued being 1/13th, 1/26th, and 1/52nd of a shilling:--

_O._ Dexter Bust[H] of Her Majesty the Queen, with hair banded, as in the English contemporary shilling, with the legend VICTORIA: D: G: BRITANNIAR: REGINA F.D.: 1841.

[H] By _dexter_ bust is meant that the features, as eye, nose, and mouth, are towards the dexter edge of the coin or shield.

_R._ Ornamented Shield of Arms of Jersey (_gules_--three lions or leopards passant gardant), with STATES OF JERSEY around upper half--1/13 OF A SHILLING around lower half. This type was issued from 1841 to 1861 intermittently.

The bronze coinages of dates 1866, 1870, and 1871 have the bust coroneted, and an oak leaf scroll, and the ONE THIRTEENTH written fully instead of expressed in figures and as a fraction, and initials of Leonard C. Wyon on truncation of neck. The issues were but of 1/13th and 1/26th of a shilling--none of 1/52nd (farthings).

The bronze coinage of 1877 and subsequently reads as follows--with differences for values and dates:--

_O._ Dexter Coroneted Bust of Her Majesty, with seven-pointed star
below, and letter H for Heaton (minters) within the legend VICTORIA
D.G. BRITANNIA REGINA F.D.

_R._ A pointed Shield of Jersey arms, dividing the date 18-77--STATES
OF JERSEY above, and ONE TWELFTH OF A SHILLING around lower half.
These were issued of the values 1/12th, 1/24th, and 1/48th of a
shilling, thus inaugurating for the Jersey penny the same fractional
part of a shilling as obtained for the English penny.

ON GUERNSEY COINS FROM THE MIDDLE AGES.

I am very greatly indebted to the Rev. G. E. Lee, M.A., F.S.A., Rector of St. Peter's Port, Guernsey, for the trouble he has kindly taken in searching old records and statutes relative to the currency in that island during the last 350 years. He has courteously given me permission to publish his extracts just as transcribed, and I here append these accordingly:--

ON GUERNSEY CURRENCY.

_Orders of the Royal Court and of the States of Guernsey._

ROYAL COURT:

1.--1535, March 21. No one is to coin "freluques" in future.

2.--21st January, 1537. The carolusis to be held worth 12 deniers, and
the vache worth 3 liards.

3.--Collas Guillemotte (22nd January, 1553) is authorized to coin
_enseignes_ of latten.

4.--Michaelmas, 1581. Her Majesty's Receiver and others are to receive
the coins named below at the values attached thereto, as follows:--

The French crown = 20 silver groats.
Flemish crown = 19-1/2do.
Pistole = 19 do.
Double Ducat = 14 Sols sterling.
Double Millerays = 14 do.
Noble, Henry of France = 14 do.
Croizadelittle cross = 20-1/2 groats.
Ditto potence = 20 do.
Poll head= 15 do. Real of Spain = 6d. ob. sterling.

5.--Michaelmas, 1582. Value of various coins fixed as follows:--

French Crown at 19-1/2 Gros.
Flemish at 19 do.
Croyzade little + at 20 do.
Do., + potence, at 19-1/2 do.
Pistolet at 18-1/2 do.

6.--Jan. 16, 1586. Value of coins fixed as follows:--

French Gold Crown at 19-1/2 Gros of silver.
Flemish at 1 sol tournois less than the Escu soll.
Pistolet at 2 sols tournois less than the Escu soll.
Frank at 6 silver gros (if of full weight).
Half Frank at 3 do.
Quarter Crown at 4-1/2 gros.
Half quarter Crown at 2-1/4 do.
Teston of France at 17 deniers.

7.--30th September, 1605. French coins, not worn out--_e.g._, quarter
and half-crowns, testons and half-testons, francs and
half-francs--are to be received at the rate of 64 sols to the
crown. Reals to be held worth 5 deniers.

8.--4th October, 1619. Many unauthorized persons having coined
freluques, this is forbidden under pain of public whipping "jusqu'
à effusion de sang."

9.--6th October, 1623. The Normans having sent hither a quantity of
deniers tournois, which they are passing for doubles, the Governor
is asked to appoint a person to coin freluques.

10.--17th April, 1626. The island being flooded with foreign doubles, no
one shall be compelled to take more of them than the value of 2
sous tournois per crown of the money to be paid to him.

STATES:

11.--February 26, 1640. A quantity of light French coin being current in
the island, traders and others insist on weighing these moneys,
refusing to take them at more than their true value. It is ordered
that such money be always weighed, as is done in Normandy.

12.--On the 3rd of the said February, 1640, it had been ordered that all
such coins should pass for their nominal value without weighing.

13.--Aug. 9, 1646. The States complain that whereas by their ancient
customs they were allowed in Guernsey to pay all dues to the King
in such money as was current in Normandy, the Governor and his
Deputy had insisted on continuing to pay such French money as they
had in their possession after it had been recalled, and would no
longer pass in Normandy.

14.--Jan. 4, 1649. It hath been ordained this day that the English
shilling, being worth 12 pence sterling, shall go in this island
for 12 sols tournois in payment, and receate and other species of
English money in proportion.

ROYAL COURT:

15.--Oct. 5, 1713. Great numbers of deniers having been brought into the
island, not less than 15 of them shall be counted for a sol
tournois.

16.--April 26, 1718. The last order is annulled, and the value of a
denier fixed at 14 to the sol tournois.

17.--April 22, 1723. Great abundance of deniers still being imported,
they are now to be valued at 16 to the sol tournois.

18.--Dec. 2, 1723. The value of deniers fixed at 20 to the sol tournois.

19.--Dec. 7, 1723. Marked sols are not to pass current.

20.--Oct. 3, 1763. Great quantity of Liards (commonly called Great
Doubles) being constantly sent out of the island, small change is
difficult to get. The order of Court of 2nd June, 1741 (which fixed
the value of the said liard at 13 for 2 sols tournois) is annulled.
Liards of France, alias Grand Doubles, are to go 6 to the sol
tournois; but none need accept more than 7 sols tournois at each
payment.

21.--March 28, 1797. In order to keep in the island all English money
and all foreign coin which can be used, the Court orders that the
French 6 franc pieces shall be held equal to 5s. 3d. sterling, and
three livres pieces shall be held equal to 2s. 7-1/2d. sterling;
and inasmuch as the Bank of England has put in circulation a
quantity of Spanish dollars, fixing their price at 4s. 9d. sterling
per dollar, the said dollars shall pass current here at the same
value, and may not be refused. No money to be exported from
Guernsey.

22.--Jan. 22, 1798. The last order repealed so far as relates to Spanish
dollars.

23.--Sept. 30, 1799. No coined money is to be embarked here on pain of
confiscation. Merchandise imported is to be paid for by bills on
London or other places; the masters of vessels are only to receive
enough cash for their expenses here.

24.--Jan. 2, 1802. Owing to the scarcity of coined money, the Court
renews the ordinance of March 28, 1797, and orders that the said 6
livre pieces shall be current, and held worth 5s. 3d. sterling, and
the 3 livre pieces worth 2s. 7-1/2d. sterling. Export of money
again forbidden.

25.--May 12, 1802. Last ordinance _re_ 6 livre and 3 livre pieces
repealed.

26.--Jan. 17, 1803. Deniers and centimes are not to be passed for
liards, and to prevent fraud these small coins are not to be used
in _rouleaux_, in which pieces of lead, wood, &c., are often to be
found.

27.--Aug. 5, 1809. Export of money again forbidden, except of foreign
dollars in parcels brought to the island, but not circulated.

28.--Oct. 1, 1810. To the same effect.

29.--March 9, 1813. The importation of silver and copper _tokens_
forbidden.

30.--April 26, 1813. The ordinances forbidding the export of money
repealed, except as regards money of the United Kingdom.

31.--July 6, 1816. The Constable complaining of the inconvenience caused
by the fluctuation in the value of French money, "which has always
been current in this island," the said coins are to pass at their
current value, but may be refused.

The values are fixed thus:--

Pieces or crowns of 6 Francs to be worth 4s. 10d.
Petits Ecus, 2s. 4d.
Pieces of 24 Sous, 10d.
Pieces of 12 Sous, 5d.

This order is not to apply to worn-out or defaced coins, or to
Irish shillings and sixpences.

32.--April 24, 1817. The last order repealed, but the coins must be
clearly marked, and need only be received to a fixed amount.

33.--June 14, 1821. Liards are to be held worth 7 to the sou.

34.--April 15, 1829. The order of 6th July, 1816, repealed so far as
regards the old French crowns of 6 francs.

35.--April 27th, 1829. Considering that French money has been from time
immemorial, and still is, legal currency in this island, orders
that the _new_ French coinage shall be in use here--one franc to be
worth 10 Guernsey pennies.

36.--May 1, 1848. The French money not always being available in
sufficient quantity, English gold and silver coins and Bank of
England notes are to b used concurrently with French money. The
pound British sterling is to be held worth £1 1s. 3d. Guernsey
sterling.

37.--Jan. 21, 1850. The last ordinance repealed.

COPPER AND BRONZE COINAGE OF GUERNSEY FROM 1830.

Sir C. W. Freemantle kindly gives me the following information respecting copper coins minted and supplied for currency in Guernsey:--

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
| DENOMINATIONS SUPPLIED.
| 1 | 2 | 4 | 8
| DOUBLE.|DOUBLES. |DOUBLES.| DOUBLES.
|£ s. d. |£ s. d. |£ s. d.| £ s. d.
| | | |
[I]Copper of date 1830--Values sent |858 13 4 | |420 0 0|
[I]Additional sent in 1831 | | |420 0 0|
| | | |
[I]Copper of date 1834--Values sent | | | |410 13 4
[I]Additional sent in 1836 | | |105 0 0|102 13 4
[I] " " " 1837 | | |210 0 0|205 6
[I] " " " 1839 | | |210 0 0|205 6 8
| | | |
[J]Copper of date 1858--Values sent | |58 9 0|237 12 6|464 7 0
| | | |
[J]Bronze of date 1864--Values sent | | |218 18 0|463 8 0
[J]Additional sent in 1865 | | |224 16 0|723 0 0
[K]Bronze of date 1868--Values sent |33 10 6 | 36 2 10|120 4 0|228 0 0
| | | |
[K]Bronze of date 1874--Values sent | | 48 2 0|144 4 0|305 4 0
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[L]Bronze of date 1885--Values sent |29 4 6 | 74 5 0|145 4 0|290 8 0
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[L]Bronze of date 1889--Values sent |58 6 6 | 37 2 0|217 12 0|924 16 0
| | | |
[L]Bronze of date 1893--Values sent |29 3 6 | |108 16 0|490 0 0
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[I] Coinage executed by Messrs. R. Boulton & Co., Soho, Birmingham.

[J] Coinage executed by Messrs. Henry Joy & Co.

[K] Coinage executed by Messrs. Partridge & Co., Birmingham.

[L] Coinage executed by Messrs. Heaton & Sons (now "The Mint," Birmingham, Limited).

The type of all the above copper and bronze issues for Guernsey remains generally the same, there being, of course, specified the various dates and differences for value.

The description of one coin, as following, will therefore answer in general terms for the whole of the issues:--

_O._ The Guernsey Arms [_gules_, three lions passant gardant _or_],
surmounted by a sprig of three laurel leaves, the whole within two
laurel branches fastened by a ribbon, and with GUERNSEY under.

_R._ 8 |DOUBLES| 1834, in three lines. Minor points, such as the
omission or insertion of the wreath of laurel and the beaded circle,
are fully described in the works of Mr. James Atkins[M] and of Mr. D.
F. Howorth[N], and need not therefore be repeated here.

[M] "The Coins and Tokens of the Possessions and Colonies of the British Empire," by James Atkins. Published by Bernard Quaritch, 15, Piccadilly. 1889.

[N] "Coins and Tokens of the English Colonies and Dependencies," by Daniel F. Howorth, F.S.A., Scot. Published by Swan Sonnenschein & Co., Paternoster Square, 1890.

P. Briard, Esq., makes the following interesting communication respecting the "Double" from information he obtained from Guernsey:--

"The present Guernsey "Double" owes its name to an ancient French coin which became later the "Liard," and equals the 1/4th part of a sou. I see, by an ordinance passed in the year 1763, the following clause:--

"'Que les paiements qui se firont en Liards de France ou Grand-Doubles seront sur le pied de seulement de six Liards ou Grand-Doubles par sol tournois.'

"By another ordinance of more than a century before--viz., in 1626--I find these words: 'D'autant qu' à present, le païs estant rempli de _Doubles_ apportis par les estrangers, plusieurs demeurent charges de grande quantité d'iceux doubles qu'ils ne peuvent mettre ny débiter à leur grande perte et dommage. A esté ordonné que dormavent seul recevant argent, ne sera tenu en prendre à plus de la valeur de deux sous par escu sur l'argent qu'il recevra.'

"In the margin opposite this ordinance there is insertion of the words 'Doubles ou Liards,' thus showing decisively that with us in Guernsey a Double was a Liard, and a Liard a Double. In France, however, in ancient coinage a Liard was the fourth part of a Sou, and a Double intrinsically held of slightly higher value. We have kept the value of the Double to be the same as that of the Liard--that is to say, our Guernsey half-penny is _quatre doubles_, and our penny _huit doubles_.'"

SILVER COUNTERMARKED GUERNSEY CROWN.

The only silver coin for Guernsey was the Spanish Dollar, overstruck or countermarked as follows:--

_O_. BISHOP DE JERSEY & CO. = The arms of Guernsey within a double
circle.

_R._ BANK OF GUERNSEY, 1809 = TOKEN OF | FIVE | SHILLINGS, in three
lines--wreath of oak. Specimens of this countermarked coin are now
very rare. The one in the Leycester Sale, of June, 1888, lot 189,
sold, together with the Jersey 3s. Tokens, for £3 10s.; and a higher
price still has been more recently obtained.

Respecting this coin, the Viscount of Jersey [Le Gros] writes to me, under date 21st September, 1893:--

"The firm of Bishop de Jersey & Co., who issued the token in question in 1809, carried on the business of bankers in Guernsey under the style of "The Guernsey Bank." This Bank was in existence for about ten years in the beginning of the present century, and was, I am told, the first to issue paper money (£1 notes) in Guernsey. It came to grief, however, after this short time.

"There are descendants of Mr. Bishop still living in Guernsey.

"'Mon Plaisir' is the name of the family estate of the Guernsey family of de Jersey, of which the partner in the Bank of that name was a member.

"Bishop and de Jersey are two distinct family names, both belonging to Guernsey."

CHANNEL ISLANDS COPPER TOKENS.

I have not, during two and a half years' stay in Jersey, been able to find any 17th century token of the Channel Islands.

The supply of small copper coins from France at that period prevented any inconvenience from want of currency of low denominations, and so probably no 17th century tokens were struck.

Nor were there any penny nor half-penny tokens struck for the Channel Islands between the years 1788 and 1797, when the issue of these, prior to the regal copper coinage of 1797, was so extensive in Great Britain.

But in the years 1812 and 1813 the copper currency, as well as that of silver, ran short, owing chiefly to the great drain caused by the Continental wars and the suspension of mintage work in common with other industries; accordingly, a few tokens, only six in all, of the penny size were issued from two sources.

The description of these is as follows:--

1. _O._ JERSEY BANK TOKEN, 1812 = Laureated sinister bust of George III.
_R_. ELIAS NEEL, JERSEY, A BANK OF ENGLAND NOTE FOR 240 TOKENS.

2. _O._ JERSEY BANK, 1813 = A draped sinister bust of King George III.
_R._ ONE PENNY TOKEN--The figure of Commerce seated.

3. _O._ JERSEY, GUERNSEY, AND ALDERNEY = ONE PENNY TOKEN.
_R._ TO FACILITATE TRADE, 1813 = Prince of Wales Plume of ostrich
feathers and motto.

4. _O._ As last.
_R_. Laureated bust of King George III. within oak leaf wreath.

5. _O_. As last.
_R._ ONE PENNY TOKEN within a wreath.

6. _O._ As last.
_R._ PURE COPPER PREFERABLE TO PAPER. PENNY TOKEN = A Druid's
head.

All the above-mentioned tokens are rare. I can find none whatever issued since 1813, nor prior to 1812. I have, in the above descriptions, taken the _obverse_ of tokens as the side of the coin specifying the Bank or other source of issue. This makes uniformity in the descriptions more apparent perhaps, though, in one case, it wrongly throws the bust on the _reverse_.

SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES.

All sorts and conditions of small coins were formerly current in the Channel Islands. These were almost entirely of French mintage. Even at the present day, if at any ordinary shop in Jersey you take change in coppers, you will probably find amongst them two or three French sous, two or three Jersey pence or half-pence, an English penny or two, and one or two coins of Spain or Italy, and, until lately, even perhaps one of the numerous coins introduced by the Russian troops who were formerly in Jersey.

At such public institutions as the main Post Office, none but English and Jersey or Guernsey pence and half-pence are the coppers received or given.

As regards gold and silver currency, none but English-struck coins are usually fully current and tendered everywhere.

Le Quesne, at a footnote, page 263, writes:--"The average weight of a Jersey quarter of wheat is 260 lbs. English. Compared to an English quarter, the proportion is 13/24."

The Rev. G. E. Lee says:--"From the earliest times the quarter (Guernsey measure or measures) of wheat has been the unit of currency here, the value of the quarter being every year proclaimed by the Royal Court and _affeuré_ in terms of so many _livres_ and _sols tournois_.

The livre tournois is now held to be worth 1/14 of the Guernsey pound sterling--_e.g._, in purchasing a property the contract will stipulate the value (even at the present day) _in quarters of wheat_, generally adding a proviso that the quarter payable is to be redeemed for £14 trs.--_i.e._, £1 Guernsey sterling. Fines imposed by the Court are always expressed in livres, sols, and deniers tournois."

With reference to extracts furnished me by Mr. Lee, he adds further:--

"English and French coins of every sort seem to have been current here [in Guernsey] from earliest times, the local value being fixed occasionally of such coins as were least in accord with those of Normandy.

"The most common former local coin seems to have been the _freluche_, which I take to be equal to the double.--_i.e._, the _double denier tournois_."

£1 notes have been issued, by authority of the States, both for Jersey and Guernsey.

With reference to the mixed copper coins in circulation, mention has been made that there were Russian pieces tendered as small change. The following extracts from most interesting notes written by Miss Phillipa L. Marette, of La Haule Manor, for "The Jersey Ladies' College Magazine," will show clearly how it was that Russian coins were for a while current in the Channel Islands:--

"That clause in the Bill of Rights which forbids the landing of foreign troops in England, is responsible for the 'Russian occupation of Jersey,' for by it the Russians, who were our allies in the ill-fated expedition to Holland (undertaken for the re-establishment of the Prince of Orange), were prevented from taking up their quarters in England, and so were let loose upon the Channel Islands, there to await the arrival of their transports. Great was the excitement of the inhabitants when, on the 24th November, 1799, the first detachment of the Russian Corps of Emmé (now the Pauloski Regiment, which still wears the same head-dress, a tall gilt mitre) arrived in this island.

"Week after week brought fresh numbers, and by January, 1800, 6,505 Russians were landed in Jersey, the sister island of Guernsey also receiving about the same number, and the whole force being under the command of a Frenchman, General Vilmeuil, who was created a Field-Marshal on the restoration of the Bourbons.

"As there were also at this time about 8,000 English troops in the place, it was somewhat difficult to find accommodation for the strangers.

"A large camp was formed on Grouville Common. Many were quartered in the St. Helier's Bay in the so-called 'Blue Barracks,' which were on the sand hill that then stretched between First Tower and Cheapside. Mention is made of Laurence's and Pipon's Barracks, the exact site of which I am unable to discover. They were probably private houses hired as temporary quarters, for we find that the old Parsonage at St. Brelade's, St. Ouen's Manor, and Belle Vue, near St. Aubin's, were all used as such. About St. Aubin's were distributed 995 men of a regiment of Chasseurs and a regiment of Grenadiers--61 being in hospital there. The General Infirmary of the island was also hired by the Russians, and was used mostly as a hospital, though some duty troops were also located therein.

"The Russians were only detained in the Channel Islands about six months, and by June 10th, 1800, had all left Jersey. The mortality amongst them was very great, doubtless aggravated by defective sanitary arrangements and overcrowding. One of their rough burial grounds on Grouville Common was consecrated some years after their departure. They were buried usually in gardens, &c., near where they died, wrapped in their blankets only."

The lady who furnishes the above interesting facts, gives also in her paper other most quaint and valuable particulars of these strange visitors. She had spent much time in gleaning all that could be got together, and this proved no easy matter, for, although the Russian occupation of the Channel Islands occurred but 97 years ago, there is little obtainable record remaining.

I have somewhat fully inserted notes to show how Russian coins became current in the Channel Islands, because this has puzzled many.

At the present time all English money is commonly current throughout the group of islands.

End of Project Gutenberg's The Coinages of the Channel Islands, by B. Lowsley