The numismatic chronicle and journal of the Royal Numismatic Society

200 HENRY SYMONDS..
quality of the metal to 9 oz. fine, the first standard
for Ireland having been 10 oz. fine, or thereabouts, in
the pound Troy, as was demonstrated by the assay
above mentioned. The type of the coins was not to be
altered, for the words of the order would equally well
describe the first issue of 1535-6.
the most noticeable feature is the omission
Perhaps
of the phrase harp-groat, or groat (pace Dr. Smith).
The coins were to be known as " sixpence Irish " and
"
threepence Irish ", thus introducing another system of
nomenclature which gives rise to some confusion at a
later date. At all events, the moneys ordered in 1540
were in reality groats and half-groats, as is shown by
their weights, 40 grs. and 20 grs. respectively, and this
is, I believe, the solitary occasion on which the difference
in rating for Irish purposes is officially recognized in a
mint document of the period. The " demy piece ", or
half-groat, is at present unknown.
On 30 October, 1540, the Privy Council send instruc-
tions to Rowlett and Martin Bowes to coin 2,000 in
" harpe groats ", and it then became the practice of the
Council to give specific directions to the master-workers
whenever it was desired to add to the Irish currency.
This procedure was not adopted in connexion with the
English series. An example of these warrants will be
presently cited, but in none of them do the Council
instruct the mint to provide half-groats.
Having established a coinage of an appreciably lower
intrinsic value, the King naturally wished to exclude
it from England. This was effected by means of a
proclamation dated 19 November, 1540, which forbade
the transportation out of Ireland of groats and half-
groats bearing the print of the harp on one side, under