British Royal Proclamations Relating to America, 1603-1783

1774, December 16.

[Providing Copper Currency for Virginia.]

BY THE KING.

A PROCLAMATION

George R.

Whereas it hath been humbly represented to Us on the part and behalf of Our Colony of Virginia that a Currency of Copper Money within the same Colony would be highly beneficial to Our good Subjects the Inhabitants thereof for the more easy and convenient making of small Payments; And Whereas the Treasurer of Our said Colony being thereunto authorized by an Act of Our Governor Council and Assembly of Our said Colony passed in the tenth Year of Our Reign[1] hath delivered to the Master and Worker of Our Mint in Our Tower of London a sufficient quantity of Fine Copper in Barrs nealed for the Coinage of five Tons of the Pieces hereinafter mentioned after making the just and usual Allowances to the Officers of Our Mint; And Whereas Our said Master and Worker of Our Mint hath in pursuance of Our Warrant for that purpose issued Coined thereout five Tons of Pieces of Copper Coin of such Weight that Sixty Pieces thereof are equal to one Pound Weight averdupois without erring either in excess or defect above one thirtieth part and are of the value of two shillings and sixpence according to the Currency of Money in Our said Colony of Virginia And each Piece is Stamped on one side with Our effigies with the Inscription Georgius III Rex and on the reverse with the Virginia Arms with the St. Georges Cross leaving out the escutcheon of Crowns except one Crown at the Top as on the Guinea without Crest Supporters or Motto except the word Virginia round the Arms with the date of the Year which are now ready to be exported to Our said Colony of Virginia.[2] We have thereupon with the Advice of Our Privy Council thought fit to issue this Our Royal Proclamation And We do accordingly hereby Ordain declare and Command that the said Pieces of Copper Money so Coined Stamped and impressed as aforesaid shall be current and lawful Money of and in Our said Colony of Virginia and of and within the Districts and precincts of the same and shall pass and be received therein after the rate following that is to say Twenty four of the said Pieces shall pass and be received for the Sum of one shilling according to the Currency of Our said Province of Virginia and at and after such rate shall be computed accepted and taken accordingly in all Bargains Rates Payments and other Transactions of Money; Provided always and We do hereby further declare that no person shall be obliged to take more than one shilling of such Copper Money in any one Payment of any Sum of Money under twenty Shillings nor more than two shillings and sixpence thereof in any one payment of a larger Sum of Money than twenty shillings;

Given at Our Court at St. James's the Sixteenth day of December 1774 in the Fifteenth Year of Our Reign.

God save the King.

No printed copy found. Entered in Privy Council Register, III Geo., vol. 11, p. 267, from which this transcript was taken.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] The Virginia Assembly, in November, 1769, authorized the treasurer to purchase copper in Great Britain for the purpose of importing copper money to the colony (Hening's Statutes, viii, 343).

[2] There are many of these Virginia copper half-pennies, dated 1773, preserved in coin collections. They answer perfectly in appearance to the above description (see Dickeson, American Numismatical Manual, p. 84, and cut on plate viii). Although dated in 1773, it was apparently not until the following year that they were ready to be exported and the proclamation enforcing their acceptance issued.

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