The Royal Mint Records for the Silver 1813 Tokens
1813 Eighteen Pence Token
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The first official coinage of Jersey can be traced back to a letter of consent, dated the 18th of November 1812. It was requested by the States of Jersey that £10,000 worth of silver bullion be converted by the British Royal Mint to three shillings and eighteen pence tokens. From February through June 1813, 2535 pounds of silver were delivered to the Royal Mint. Using this silver, in late March, 4842 eighteen pence tokens were minted along with 2421 three shillings tokens. An additional 33896 eighteen pence tokens were minted during the month of June. Also during the month of June, 51890 three shillings tokens were coined. A year later, during March 1814, an extra 578 pounds of silver were delivered to the mint producing an additional 16793 three shillings tokens. Thus, we have a total of 38739 eighteen pence tokens and 71104 three shillings tokens with a nominal value of £13571/0/6.
It is interesting to note that the mintage figures quoted in some leading books and journals are questionable. Most sources state that the mintage for the eighteen pence token was 90800 and the mintage for the three shillings token was 45400. These numbers can be traced to a guess by F. Pridmore in his 1960 book, "The Coins of The British Commonwealth of Nations, Part 1: European Territories". He first computed the nominal value of these tokens from the January 28, 1834, Jersey Orders of Council and then took
a ratio of two eighteen pence tokens to every one three shillings token. Pridmore also quotes the
January 28, 1834, Jersey Orders of Council, stating that the amount of tokens outstanding and not
redeemed by the Committee as £1,363/7/6. This number is incorrect too if one assumes that the amount
redeemed was correctly stated in the Orders of Council as £12,256/12/6. However, please note that
this redeemed amount is mathematically incorrect. The amount £12,256/12/6 is not possible using 18 pence
and three shillings tokens. If we assume the redeemed amount is £12,256/11/6, then the computed amount remaining would then be £1318/9.
These tokens remained legal tender until the first of October 1834, in which year English money was declared the sole legal tender.
Lieut.-Colonel W. Marshall-Fraser, in his book "The Coinages of the Channel Islands", stated that 'large numbers' were exported to Guernsey and Canada where they were at a premium owing to more favorable rates of exchange.
This was even the case when on March 9, 1813, the States of Guernsey forbad all importation of silver and copper tokens and all such tokens had to be exported within 15 days.
Applying the ratio of the number of three shillings tokens minted versus the number of eighteen pence tokens minted to
the computed remaining amount, one can estimate the maximum number of tokens remaining. Using this ratio, we could
guess that the maximum number of 18 pence tokens as 3752, while the maximum number of three shillings tokens is 6887.
Although far more three shillings tokens were minted than the eighteen pence tokens, the three shillings token is
harder to find than the 18 pence token. Either way, due to their circulation of 21 years, very few Jersey
silver tokens survive in mint state and in mint state the eighteen pence token is rarer than a mint state three
shillings token. One can only guess at the remaining numbers of these most elusive pieces left for the collector.
November 18, 1812 -- Request for coinage
Note the reference to Guernsey.
November 18, 1812 and Februrary 5, 1813 -- Request for coinage -- continued
The States are given a warning of potential counterfeiting.
Februrary 5, 1813 -- Request for coinage -- continued
This contains a description of the tokens and engraver's fee.
March 3, 1813 -- Royal Mint's Recommendation
The Deputy Warden, the Deputy Master, the Deputy Comptroller, the King's Assayer, the King's Clerk,
and the Superintendent of Machinery were present.
January through April, 1813 -- Mint Journal
An account showing 192 pounds of silver imported to the mint and tokens delivered for this time period .
May & June, 1813 -- Mint Journal
An account showing the amount of silver imported to the mint and tokens delivered for this time period.
April 20, 1815 -- Description of Monies Coined, Part 1
Statement of the quantity of tokens coined in the mint - part 1.
April 20, 1815 -- Description of Monies Coined, Part 2
Statement of the quantity of tokens coined in the mint - part 2.
An Account of the States of Jersey
(From MINT 9/78) This summary gives the total weight of silver delivered to the mint in 1813 and 1814 used in the manufacturing of these tokens.
February 28, 1813 through April 30, 1813 -- Moneyers for Dollar Silver
Detailed list of silver deliveries for this time period.
April 30, 1813 through June 30, 1813 -- Moneyers for Dollar Silver
Detailed list of silver deliveries for this time period.
December 31, 1813 through April 30, 1814 -- Moneyers for Dollar Silver
Detailed list of silver deliveries for this time period.
March 1813 receipt of silver dollars
Mint receives three parcels of silver dollars.
Monthly Statement for Silver Imported 1813
Summary list of silver deliveries for this time period.
Monthly Statement for Silver Imported 1814
Summary list of silver deliveries for this time period.
April 20, 1814 -- An Account of the Importation of Bullion
(From MINT 1/18)
Jersey Tokens delivered in 1813
Report tokens delivered by weight and value in March and June 1813.
Jersey Tokens delivered in 1814
Report tokens delivered by weight and value in March 1814.
| Silver Tokens Production at a Glance |
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