The
Yorkshire Coiners |
|||
|
Coiners
Story |
Look around the edge of a
modern English pound coin and you’ll see the words ‘DECUS ET TUTAMEN’
engraved into the rippled milling. You may have wondered what it means
and why it is there. Ever since coins had been
used as a means of exchange, people had been tempted to increase their
wealth by tampering with the coin of the realm. Despite the fact that
the penalty for counterfeiting and coining was death, the temptation was
too great for many and the offence was common during the 17th and 18th
centuries. The later removal of the
words by the Mint, to rely solely on milling the edge of the coin, was to
make the act of coining much simpler, since the milled edge of the coin
could easily be reinstated with a file or other suitable tool, having of
course removed some of the gold first! And in the 18th century,
other factors made the practice of coining easier and the risk of
detection lower. Foreign coinage,
principally Spanish and Portuguese money was in wide circulation
alongside the English Guinea. The Guinea itself was, in many cases, well
worn and overdue withdrawal from circulation. Combined with the fact
that the common man rarely handled much money, making recognition of a
slightly modified coin less likely. And so the art of
coining developed, and an organized gang of coiners living in an area to
the west of Halifax were so effective that they eventually drew the
attention of the local Excise Officer, who’s actions in bringing the
gang and its leadership to book lead to him suffering the ultimate crime
- Murder! |
||