Haynes, Hopton

Manuscript volume by Hopton Haynes relating to English recoinage, 1700-1702, entitled 'Briefe memoirs relating to the silver and gold coins of England; with an account of the corruption of the hammered moneys and of the reform by the late grand coynage at the Tower and the five county mints in the years 1696, 1697, 1698 and 1699'. On the back of the title page the following note has been added: 'These Papers being begun and almost perfected near 7 years since, several things and expressions in them are now out of Fashion, which upon a Review may be layd aside to make the performance as Unexeptionable as may be to the Publick'. An addendum, in a different hand, gives 'An account of Guinea Coins of Gold imported from Africa by the Royal Africa Company [from 1675-1725], taken from the Gazeteer 23 Jan 1755'. This valuable manuscript gives minute details of the recoinage of 1696.

Hopton Haynes entered the Royal Mint as a clerk in 1687, and moved into the Comptrollers office for the great recoinage, 1696. He was successively Weigher and Teller, 1701, and the King's Assay Master, 1749. He was also a unitarian writer. Publications: A brief enquiry relating to the right of His Majesty's Royal Chapel, and the privilege of his servants within the Tower (London, 1728); The Scripture Account of the attributes and worship of God, and of the character and offices of Jesus Christ (London, 1790).

Single item.

Access to this collection is unrestricted for the purpose of private study and personal research within the supervised environment and restrictions of the Library's Palaeography Room. Uncatalogued material may not be seen. Please contact the University Archivist for details.

Part of the Goldsmith's Library of Economic Literature, initially collected by Herbert Somerton Foxwell and presented by the Goldsmith's Company to the University of London in 1903.

Collection level description.

Manuscript folio. Bound in calf.

Compiled by Sarah Smith as part of the RSLP AIM25 Project.

Another copy of this manuscript is at the British Museum, London (Ref: Lansdowne MSS DCCCI).

Copies may be made, subject to the condition of the original. Copying must be undertaken by the Palaeography Room staff, who will need a minimum of 24 hours to process requests.

The manuscript was part of the library of George Chalmers, sold in 1842. It was bought by Herbert Somerton Foxwell from Quaritch in 1887.

Other University of London Manuscripts relating to the Royal Mint and coinage include MSS 14, 21, 51, 62, 100, 102, 108, 151, 152 and 499.