Mr. J. Napier on Spurious Coins. 345 



accepting of gold coin than on those less valuable, especially in Scotland, 

 where gold is comparatively scarce. The only spurious gold coin ex- 

 amined was a half sovereign : it was beautifully finished, and resembled a 

 new coin ; but was much lighter, weighing only 43 grains, while the gen- 

 uine coin should weigh about 61 grains. It was gilt by the electrotype 

 process so perfectly that when the spurious metal was dissolved out, the 

 gold gilding remained as a skeleton coin with all the impressions upon 

 it, and the whole weight of which was only 0'3 of a grain. The spuri- 

 ous metal was a rich brass ; the composition of the coin was 



Copper, . . . . , 28-8 



Zinc, ..... 13-2 



Iron, . . . . .0-7 



Gold, ..... 0-3 



43-0 



This coin was evidently the work of a tradesman, and the use of such a 

 rich brass enabled him to use a thinner coating of gold than would have 

 sufficed for copper or any white coloured metal to obtain the real colour 

 of a gold piece, as the metal shines through a thin coating of gold. 



SiLVEB Coins. 



The number of spurious silver coins in our possession for examination 

 was considerable, and of the several values from a sixpence to a crown. 

 When a quantity of these spurious coins are put together it is at once 

 apparent that there have been no great variety of materials used in their 

 manufacture ; probably from the metal most resembling silver, viz., tin 

 being abundant, and within easy reach of the coiner, is easily fused and 

 well adapted for casting, and a very little experience teaches what are 

 the metals best adapted to mix with tin for the purpose of coining. 



The whole currency of spurious silver is by stealth, and whenever 

 discovered, whicli is very easily and soon done, the honest possessor, 

 rather than defraud his neighbour, stops them. Yet, when we take into 

 consideration the number constantly being detected, it shows that their 

 manufacture must be in great quantity, and that society suffers severely 

 from this source. 



The whole variety of these coins may be divided into three. The 

 first, and not at all a very common coin, and mostly confined to half- 

 crowns and shillings, are made of brass, and then waslied over with a solu- 

 tion of tin in the same manner as thoy whiten pins. This sort very soon 

 become yellow round the edges and prominent parts, stopping their 

 circulation ; but even when new they are easily detected by their weight 

 as well as by the sound, the ring being sharper and of shorter duration 

 than silver. 



