20 
COINS. 
In December 1299, ^3,000 was transmitted from York to Ber- 
wick-on-Tweed. In 1300, a royal mint was opened at Kingston- 
upon-Hull. In June, a large quantity of the base or counterfeit 
coin, called Pollards, which was lying in the King's exchequer at 
York, having been received previously to the issuing of the pro¬ 
clamation by which the circulation of them was prohibited, was 
ordered to be delivered to the merchants of the company of the 
Friscobaldi of Florence, for the purpose of being melted down, 
partly at York and partly at Newcastle. In July, 1000 marks 
were conveyed from York to Lochmaber for the expenses of the 
King’s army in Scotland. In August £1000 was sent to Caer- 
laverock, and in September two sums of the like amount were 
forwarded, one to Carlisle and the other to Rose Castle, near that 
city. Later £1000 was despatched from York to the King at 
Carlisle. 1 
In 1304, the sum of ^4000 was transmitted from York to 
Skamskynell, in Scotland. The money was packed in eight 
barrels, made for the purpose out of three empty casks. Five 
carters were engaged for the transit ; twelve archers accompanied 
them, with six men to watch the carriage. Besides these there 
went John le Conyers and Walter de Gilling, who had the general 
oversight of the transaction. They set out from York on Monday, 
April 13th, and that day proceeded no further than Easingwold. 
The next night they reached Darlington, the night after Chester- 
le-Street, and during this stage six esquires on horseback were 
added to the escort, for whose services six shillings were paid. On 
Thursday night they reached Morpeth, on Friday Bamborough, 
on Saturday Berwick, on Sunday Dunbar, and on Monday Edin¬ 
burgh. On Tuesday they arrived at Lynlisku, and on Wednes¬ 
day at noon they placed the treasure in a barge of the King’s at 
Blakenasse. 2 
In 1303, John de Sandale, who was assay maker and keeper of 
the Exchange in England, was appointed Custos Cambrium of 
London, York, Canterbury, Bristol, Chester, Newcastle-upon- 
Tyne, Kingston-upon-Hull, and Exeter. There were also mints 
at Berwick and Durham. 
Edward I. struck silver pennies (60) at York and also introduced 
silver halfpennies and farthings ; previously these were supplied 
by cutting the penny into halves and quarters. In the inscriptions 
1 Davies, p. 70. 
2 Joseph Hunter, “ Proc. Archas. Inst. York, 1846.” 
