12th Congress.
No. 384
2d Session.

ASSAYS OF FOREIGN COINS.

Communicated to the Senate, on the 31st December, 1812.

Treasury Department, December 28, 1812.   

Sir:

I have the honor to transmit, herewith, a letter from the Director of the Mint, containing the result of the assays of foreign gold and silver coins, made in pursuance of the act of the 10th of April, 1806, entitled “An act regulating the currency of foreign coins in the United States.”

I have the honor to be, respectfully, sir, your obedient servant,

ALBERT GALLATIN.

The honorable the President of the Senate.

. . . . . . . .

Mint of the United States, December 21, 1812.   

Sir:

Agreeably to your directions, of the 7th instant, I have caused assays to be made of the several species of foreign gold and silver coins, made current by an act of Congress, of the 16th of April, 1806, the result of which, according to the Assayer’s report, is as follows:

Gold coins of Great Britain.
C. grs.
No. 1, made of 5 pieces of different dates prior to 1806,  22   0
2, “ 5 do. dated 1806, 22   0
3, “ 5 do. dated 1808, 22   0
4, “ 5 do. dated 1809, 22   0
5, “ 5 do. dated 1810, 22   0
 
Gold coins of France.
No. 1, made of 5 pieces of different dates prior to 1806,  21   21/2
2, “ 4 do. dated 1806, 21   21/2
3, “ 4 do. dated 1807, 21   21/2
4, “ 4 do. dated 1808, 21   21/2
5, “ 1 do. dated 1809, 21   25/8
6, “ 4 do. dated 1810, 21   25/8
7, “ 1 do. dated 1811, 21   21/2
8, “ 1 do. dated [Napoleon Emperor] 1811, 21   25/8
Average, 21   235/64
 
Gold coins of Spain.
No. 1, made of 5 pieces of different dates prior to 1806,  20   31/2
2, “ 5 do. dated 1806, 20   3
3, “ 5 do. dated 1807, 20   31/4
4, “ 5 do. dated 1808, 20   31/4
5, “ 5 do. dated 1809, 20   3
6, “ 4 do. dated 1810, 20   3
7, “ 1 do. dated 1811, 20   33/4
8, “ 1 do. dated [Joseph Napoleon] 1809, 20   31/2
Average, 20   39/32
 
Gold coins of Portugal.
No. 1, made of 5 pieces of different dates prior to 1806,  22   0
2, “ 5 do. dated 1806, 22   0
3, “ 1 do. dated 1807, 22   0
4, “ 2 do. dated 1808, 22   0
5, “ 5 do. dated 1809, 22   0
6, “ 5 do. dated 1810, 22   0
7, “ 5 do. dated 1811, 22   0

Silver coins of France.
Oz. dwt. grs.
No. 1, made of 4 pieces of different dates, [crowns] 10 18 6
2, made of 4 pieces of different dates, [five francs] 10 16 0
 
Silver coins of Spain.
No. 1, made of 5 pieces of different dates prior to 1806, 10 15 12
2, “ 5 do. dated 1806, 10 15 12
3, “ 5 do. dated 1807, 10 15 00
4, “ 5 do. dated 1808, 10 15 00
5, “ 5 do. dated 1809, 10 15 12
6, “ 5 do. dated 1810, 10 15 12
7, “ 5 do. dated 1811, 10 15 12
Average, 10 15  84/7

From the foregoing report of the Assayer, it will appear—

  1. That the gold coins of Great Britain and Portugal are all uniformly of the same quality, and exactly the same with the gold coins of the United States, and hence their intrinsic value is at the rate of 100 cents for 27 grains, or 888/9 cents per pennyweight.
  2. That the gold coins of France are also very nearly of a uniform quality, and their intrinsic value, at the rate of 100 cents for 2745/100 grains, or 8743/100 cents per pennyweight.
  3. That the gold coins of Spain are somewhat variable in their quality, the average (20 39/32) will give their value at the rate of 100 cents for 2853/100 grs. or 8442/100 cents per dwt.
  4. That the intrinsic value of the French Crown, supposing its weight 18 dwts. 17 grs. is 10979/100 cents; and that of the five franc piece, supposing its weight 16 dwts. 2 grs. = 9321/100 cents.
  5. That the intrinsic value of the Spanish dollar, supposing it of the full weight of 17 dwts. 7 grs. is 10029/100 cents.

It may, however, be observed that both the French crown and Spanish dollar will most frequently fall short of the above weights.

I have the honor to be, your most obedient faithful servant,

R. PATTERSON.

The Honorable Albert Gallatin, Secretary of the Treasury.