272 



The Production and Waste of Money. 



Crowns. 



Half- Crowns 



Florins . 



Shillings 



Sixpences. 



Fourpences 



Threepences 



2,320,027 

 37,516,343 

 10,000,000 

 112,554,106 

 76,132,578 

 20,142,034 

 7,572,437 



Total 266,237,525 



To this list there have been added since 1859, and up to 

 the close of 1863 — 



Florins 2,069,100 



Shillings 4,007,520 



Sixpences 2,692,800 



Threepences .... 7,870,104 



Total 16,639,524 



and forming an aggregate of two hundred and eighty-two 

 millions eight hundred and seventy- seven thousands and forty- 

 nine silver coins existing in the banking houses, tills, purses, 

 and pockets of the inhabitants of the United Kingdom ! The 

 coinage of crowns, half-crowns, and fourpences has been sus- 

 pended for several years past, and it is a question for the 

 legislature to decide as to whether that coinage shall be 

 resumed. No doubt the half-crown is a very serviceable piece 

 of money, and it has accordingly many friends — notedly, Lord 

 Overstone among them. The advocates of a decimal system 

 of currency, among whom is the writer of this paper, of course 

 disapprove of it, and desire that it should be cast into the 

 melting-pot. Certainly in companionship with the florin, the 

 half-crown is an awkward specimen of mintage. Eeverting 

 next to the subordinate coinage, that of bronze, and we find 

 that since its introduction, at the beginning of the year 1860, 

 there have been issued to the public, partly from the Mint, but 

 principally from the presses of contractors in Birmingham — 

 James Watt and Company — the following quantities of each 

 denomination : — 



Pence 92,000,000 



Half-pence .... 130,000,000 

 Farthings . 25,000,000 



Total 247,000,000 



From the foregoing statistics, which approach very nearly 

 to the truth, though the Mint is each day engaged in adding to 



