The numismatic chronicle and journal of the Royal ... - IndianCoins.org

THE ELIZABETHAN COINAGES FOR IRELAND. 107(3) The new coins were tested at a pyxStar Chamber on 24 October, 1561, whentrial in the9 Os. 12rf. (sic)in harp shillings and groats were found in the chestand proved to be in accordance with the standard(Exch. acc't. 303/53, and Harley MSS. 698, fo. 62).I notice that Sir Martin Bowes, then a private goldsmith,was one of the jury sworn at this trial ;the timeshad changed since he was present at such ceremoniesas the head of the Tower mint.The accounts of later date show that none of the1561 coins were struck after the end of April. Theyand as bothbear only one privy-mark, the harp,denominations are dated they are readily identified.The novel type of the reverse, three harps upon anindented shield crowned, is more pleasing than thatof the first coinage, and may, I think, be regarded asone of Derick Anthony's most successful productions[PL VII. 3, 4]. Although the English mill coins werestruck at the same time and proved at the same trialas the Irish pieces, the latter were made by the hammerprocess only.It will be seen that the shilling of this issue, beingsheared at the rate of 80 in each pound Troy, weighed72 grains, or one-fourth less than the correspondingEnglish coin, which weighed 96 grains at that time.This proportion conformed to the Queen's instructionsof 22 May, 1561 (supra),of the Irish shilling when in Englandwhich fixed the face valueat one-fourthless than the English shilling. The groat, of course,bore the same ratio, both in weight and face value.Although the ostensible object of the second coinagewas to effect a reformation of the existing currency,the small quantity produced must have been insufficient