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Communicated to the House of Representatives January 19, 1824.
Treasury Department, January 17, 1824.
In pursuance of the act entitled “An act regulating the currency within the United States of the gold coins of Great Britain, France, Spain, and Portugal, and the crowns of France, and five franc pieces,” passed the 29th day of April, 1816, the Secretary of the Treasury has 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.
Hon. the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Mint of the United States, January 5, 1824.
Sir: Agreeably to your general instructions, I have caused assays to be made of the several species of foreign coins still current by law in the United States, and of the foreign gold coins, (so far as specimens could be procured,) receivable in payment on account of public lands.
The Assayer’s report is as follows:
| Silver Coins. | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 pieces of French crowns, dated | 1793, | oz. | dwt. | gr. | fine in | 12 ounces. | |
| 5 pieces of French crowns, dated | 1793, | 10 | 18 | 12 | fine in 12 ounces. | ||
| 5 pieces of five franc pieces, | “ | 1823, | 10 | 16 | 00 | do | do |
| 5 pieces of Spanish dollars, | “ | 1822, | 10 | 16 | 00 | do | do |
| Gold Coins. |
|---|
| 5 pieces of British, dated 1822, 22 carats fine in 24 carats. |
| 1 piece of Portuguese, dated 1823, 21 carats 37/8 grains in 24 carats. |
No specimens of French or Spanish gold coins, especially of late dates, could be procured.
The above assays agreeing, either exactly or very nearly, with former assays, it may be presumed that no alteration has taken place in the quality of foreign coins.
I have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient servant,
RT. PATTERSON.
Hon. Wm. H. Crawford, Secretary of the Treasury.