Royal Mint papers, 1729-1770

Identity Statement

Reference code(s)	: GB 0096 MS 102
Held at	: Senate House Library, University of London   Click here to find out how to view this collection at http://www.senatehouselibrary.ac.uk/our-collections ›
Full title	: Royal Mint papers, 1729-1770
Date(s)	: [1729-1770]
Level of description	: Collection (fonds)
Extent	: 1 volume containing 170 leaves
Name of creator(s)	: Unknown
Detailed catalogue	: Click here to view repository detailed catalogue

Context

Administrative/Biographical history:

The English Royal Mint was responsible for the making of coins according to exact compositions, weights, dimensions and tolerances, usually determined by law. Minting in England was reorganised by King Edward I to facilitate a general recoinage in 1279. This established a unified system which was run from the Royal Mint in London by the Master and Warden of the Mint. There remained smaller mints in Canterbury and elsewhere until 1553, when English minting was concentrated into a single establishment in London. For several centuries control of policy relating to the coinage rested soley with the monarch, with Parliament finally gaining control following the Revolution of 1688. The Mint itself worked as an independent body until that date, when it came under the control of the Treasury.

Content

Scope and content/abstract:

Manuscript volume containing transcripts of papers relating to the Royal Mint, [1732-1770], including a copy confirmation of the Charter of the Royal Mint, dated 24 Apr 1662, including the original grant of 1 May 1308 and successive confirmations and grants; a copy of the indenture dated 23 Aug 1732 appointing John Conduitt as Warden of the Mint, with corrections in red ink to form the basis of an indenture for the Hon Charles Sloane Cadogan, 23 Nov 1770; copy of a warrant dated 24 Jul 1729 for John Conduitt to coin British copper, with a note of a similar warrant dated 17 Aug 1738 for Richard Arundell, Master of the Irish Mint; copy of a warrant dated 20 Nov 1740 for Richard Arundell, Master of the Irish Mint, to coin copper for Ireland.

Access & Use

Language/scripts of material:
English and Latin

System of arrangement:

Single item.

Conditions governing access:

Access to this collection is unrestricted for the purpose of private study and personal research within the supervised environment and restrictions of the Library's Palaeography Room. Uncatalogued material may not be seen. Please contact the University Archivist for details.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Copies may be made, subject to the condition of the original. Copying must be undertaken by the Palaeography Room staff, who will need a minimum of 24 hours to process requests.

Finding aids:

Collection level description.

Archival Information

Archival history:

Herbert Somerton Foxwell inserted the bookplate of John Conduitt into this volume, though it is unclear if the latter actually owned or created the manuscript.

Immediate source of acquisition:

Part of the Goldsmith's Library of Economic Literature, initially collected by Herbert Somerton Foxwell and presented by the Goldsmith's Company to the University of London in 1903.

Allied Materials

Related material:

Other University of London Manuscripts relating to the Royal Mint and coinage include MSS 14, 21, 51, 62, 72, 100, 108, 151, 152, 154 and 499.

Publication note:

Description Notes

Archivist's note:
Compiled by Sarah Smith as part of the RSLP AIM25 Project.

Rules or conventions:
ISAD(G) 2nd edition, and NCA rules for the construction of personal, place and corporate names (1997).

Date(s) of descriptions:
Aug 2000