Genealogy Chat

I was in our local museum at the weekend - in our little town - they had done some excavations for a new building not far from the market place. Amongst the really interesting bits and pieces was a half crown (about 1600 I believe)which was supposed to be silver I guess but was in fact made of lead. I wonder what happened to the owner - did he dump it when he saw an official approaching?

You've probably noticed that pound coins are serrated around the edge. This goes back to the time when coins were actually made of gold. Coiners would shave a small amount from the circumference of coins and, given enough coins, could amass a fair amount of gold. The damage to the coins was not obvious. The Serrations were added to the design of the coins to prevent this. Coiners were also known as chisellers.

Thanks Joe, sorry not very fast at typing, i have a baby under one arm Caroline

Thanks Athena and Lin, its horrible isn't it, not sure if they were related to me yet, regards Caroline

I'm not actually sure but I think it had something to do with forgory of money. Gypsyjoe

Think I guessed right...just googled and found this: 1-3 June 1699 Yesterday three of the condemned criminals suffered at Tybourn, viz. a man and a woman for coining, and a man for murder. When they were come to the place of execution, they were all three placed on one cart under the gallows, whilst the Ordinary praied with them; after which the woman was removed from thence to the stake, and then the cart drew away. She semed very penitent, and declared, she had put off some quantities of false money: She lamented very much the condition of her four small children; and being made fast to the post, she was immediately choak’d, and faggets [sic] and brushes, being placed round her, she was burnt to ashes. The two men seemed also very penitent. (The Flying Post) From: http://www[.]infopt[.]demon[.]co[.]uk/grub/coining[.]htm remove brackets.

making counterfeit money Lin

just a guess...something to do with forgery - making fake coins perhaps?

Hello, I found this when googling Gloustershire archives for family Does anyone know what coining was and why she was burnt while he was hanged? John Gough of this parish was hanged at Gloucester for coining and his wife (at the same time) burned then and there for the same crime'; this was 1698 cheers Caroline