1922.] CURRENCY OF GUERNSEY, ETC. 105 



silver, and consequently the States of Jersey made a profit 

 of ^3-4,000 on it. 



The lack of current coin was met to some extent by the 

 issue of tokens and bank notes by private individuals. The 

 indiscriminate issue of bank notes by all and sundry was not 

 objected to by the authorities for some reason, but the issue 

 of tokens did not please them at all, and in 1809 an Ordi- 

 nance was passed forbidding the circulation of tokens, espe- 

 cially those of the value of 5/-, obviously referring to those 

 issued by the firm of Bishop, de Jersey & Co., who styled 

 themselves the Bank of Guernsey. These coins are interest- 

 ing. They were struck by Boulton and Watt, of Birming- 

 ham, on a Spanish Dollar. They are extremely rare, and a 

 fine specimen was a few months ago sold at Sotheby's for 

 £4.2 to Messrs. Spink, the well-known dealers, by whose 

 courtesy I am able to give a full size illustration of it. 



In 18 13 a series cf copper tokens was put into circulation 

 by some enterprising individual in the Channel Islands. 

 They are of eight distinct patterns of penny and one of a 

 halfpenny (1) . 



Needless to say, the circulation was at once forbidden in 

 Guernsey by the Royal Court. These coins are also extremely 

 rare now. The Museum, of the Societe Jersiaise has a spe- 

 cimen of two- kinds, and by the courtesy of Mr. E. T. Nicolle, 

 the Secretary, I am able to exhibit photographs by Mr. Guiton 

 of the two. In the Guille-Alles Museum is also a specimen, 

 but it is too worn to reproduce. 



In the same year in which Jersey issued its silver tokens 

 of 3/- and 1/6 (1813), the States of Guernsey petitioned the 

 Privy Council for a licence to issue copper coins of the value 

 of one half-penny and one penny, with tokens of the value 

 of a grand double, three grand doubles and a sou tournois 

 not to exceed ^2,000 worth (2) . 



The peace of 181 5 found Guernsey coinage in a parlous 

 state : and it was many years before it resumed a normal con- 

 dition. The coinage of France during the wars which lasted 

 from i/QO until 181 5 was in process of change. The Milrey 

 Ducat, Croisat and other antiquities gave way to Ecus and 

 especially pieces of 24 and 12 sous (1) . But Guernsey also had 

 a quantity of British silver (then not legal currency) in circu- 

 lation, especially light and worn coins then known as Irish 

 shillings and sixpences, and in 181 7 the British Government 

 sent over Commissary General White to exchange all worn- 

 out British silver coins, resulting in £8,455 worth being 

 handed in for exchange between March 26 and April 6 of 

 the above year. 



C\) Sop Addendum. 



(2) This possibly explains the objections of the States to the issue of the copper 

 tokens referred to above, 



(3) Ordinance of lSlf,, 



