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Communicated to the Senate, January 4, 1822.
Treasury Department, January 2, 1822.
Sir:
In pursuance of the act entitled “An act regulating the currency within the United States of the gold coins of Great Britain, France, Portugal, and Spain, and the crowns of France and five-franc pieces,” passed the 29th day of April, 1816, I have the honor to transmit, herewith, a report of the Director of the Mint, giving the result of sundry assays made in pursuance of instructions from this Department.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, sir, your obedient servant,
WM. H. CRAWFORD,
Acting Secretary of the Treasury.
The Honorable the President of the Senate.
Mint of the United States, December 22, 1821.
Sir:
Agreeably to your general instructions, I have caused assays to be made of the species of foreign coins still current by law in the United States.
The assayer’s report is as follows:
| No. 1. Made of equal parts of 5 French crowns, 10 oz. 19 dwts. fine in 12 oz. |
| No. 2. Made of equal parts of 5 five-franc pieces, 10 oz. 16 dwts. fine in 12 oz. |
| No. 3. Made of equal parts of 5 Spanish dollars, 10 oz. 16 dwts. fine in 12 oz. |
The above assays were made from coins of the latest dates that could be procured; and as they correspond so nearly in quality with those assayed on former occasions, it may be safely presumed that no alterations have taken place in the quality of those coins.
The following statement of the average results of the last five annual assays, including the present, may not, perhaps, be unacceptable, especially if Congress should think proper to legislate on the subject of foreign coins.
The gold coins of Great Britain and of Portugal are constantly found to be of the same quality with those of the United States, (those of Portugal, however, being rather base,) viz. 22 carats fine in 24; and as the eagle (10 dollar piece) weighs 270 grs., it follows that the value of these coins is one dollar for 27 grs., or 888/9, say 88.89 cents per dwt.
The gold coins of France average 21 car. 25/12 grs. fine in 24 carats; consequently, their value will be one dollar for 27.49 grs., or 87.29 cents per dwt.
The gold coins of Spain average 20 car. 31/4 grs. fine in 24 carats; consequently, their value will be one dollar for 28.54 grs., or 84.09 cents per dwt.
The standard quality of silver coins of the United States is 10 oz. 14 dwts. 45/13 grs. fine in 12 oz., and the weight of the dollar 17 dwts. 8 grs.; consequently, their value per oz., will be 1155/13 cents.
The average quality of silver French crowns is 10 oz. 18 dwts. 13 grs. fine in 12 oz.; consequently, their value will be 117.73 cents per oz.
The average quality of silver five-franc pieces of France is 10 oz. 16 dwts. fine in 12 oz.; consequently, their value will be 116.36 cents per oz.
The average quality of Spanish dollars is 10 oz. 15 dwts. 18 grs. fine in 12 oz.; consequently, their value will be 116.23 cents per oz.
The above average values of foreign coins differ but little from those established by former acts of Congress, as will be seen by the following comparison.
By acts of Congress:
| British and Portugal gold coins at 88.89 cents per dwt. |
| French and Portugal gold coins at 87.27 cents per dwt. |
| Spanish and Portugal gold coins at 84.21 cents per dwt. |
| Silver French crowns at 117.6 cents per oz. |
| Silver five-franc pieces at 116 cents per oz. |
| Spanish dollars at 115.66 cents per oz. |
By the above averages:
| British and Portugal gold coins at 88.89 cents per dwt. |
| French and Portugal gold coins at 87.29 cents per dwt. |
| Spanish and Portugal gold coins at 84.09 cents per dwt. |
| Silver French crowns at 117.73 cents per oz. |
| Silver five-franc pieces at 116.36 cents per oz. |
| Spanish dollars at 116.23 cents per oz. |
I have the honor to be, very respectfully sir, your obedient servant
R. PATTERSON.
Hon. Wm. H. Crawford, Secretary of the Treasury.