1773: 13 George 3 c.71: An Act for the better preventing the counterfeiting, clipping, and other diminishing the Gold Coin in this Kingdom.
‘WHEREAS the preventing the Currency of clipped and unlawfully diminished and counterfeit Money is a more effectual Means to preserve the Coin of this Kingdom entire and pure, than the most rigorous Laws for the Punishment of such as diminish or counterfeit the same: And whereas, by the known Laws of this Kingdom, no Person ought to pay, or knowingly tender in Payment, any counterfeit or unlawfully diminished Money, and all Persons may not only refuse the same, but may, and by the ancient Statutes and Ordinances of this Kingdom have been required to destroy and deface the same, and more particularly the Tellers in the Receipt of the Exchequer, by their Duty and Oath of Office, are required to receive no Money but good and true; and to the End the same might be the better discerned and known by the ancient Course of the said Receipt of the Exchequer, all Money ought to be received there by Weight as well as Tale:
[Act 9 & 10 Gul. III.]
And whereas, by an Act passed in the Ninth and Tenth Years of the Reign of the late King William the Third, (intituled, An Act for the better preventing the counterfeiting, clipping, and other diminishing the Coin of this Kingdom), Provisions are made for preventing the Currency of clipped and counterfeit Silver Money, but respecting the Gold Money no Provision is thereby made;’ be it declared and enacted by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same,
[Persons to whom Gold Money shall be tendered, diminished otherwise than by reasonable wearing, or appearing to be counterfeit, may cut or deface such Money.]
That it is and shall be lawful to and for any Person to whom any Gold Money shall be tendered, any Piece Or Pieces whereof shall be diminished otherwise than by reasonable wearing, or that by the Stamp, Impression, Colour, or Weight thereof, he shall suspect to be counterfeit, to cut, break, or deface, such Piece or Pieces; and if any Piece so cut, broken, or defaced, shall appear to be diminished (otherwise than by reasonable wearing) or counterfeit, the Person tendering the same shall bear the Loss thereof; but if the same shall be of due Weight, and appear to be lawful Money, the Person that cut, broke, or defaced the same, shall, and is hereby required to take and receive the same at the Rate it was coined for;
[Disputes to be finally determined by Mayors, &c. in Cities, and by any Justice of the County where such Tender shall be made; who may administer Oaths.]
and if any Question or Dispute shall arise, whether the Piece so cut be counterfeit or diminished, in Manner aforesaid, it shall be heard and finally determined by the Mayor, Bailiff or Bailiffs, or other Chief Officer, of any City or Town Corporate, where such Tender shall be made; and if such Tender shall be made out of any City or Town Corporate, then by some Justice of the Peace of the County inhabiting or being near the place where such Tender shall be made; and the said Mayor, or other Chief Officer, and Justice of the Peace, shall have full Power and Authority to administer an Oath, as he shall see convenient, to any Person for the determining any Questions relating to the said Piece.
[Tellers of the Exchequer are to cut or deface Gold Money unlawfully diminished.]
II. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the Tellers at the Receipt of His Majesty’s Exchequer, and their Deputies and Clerks, shall, and they are hereby required, to cut, break, or deface, or cause to be cut, broken, or defaced, every Piece of counterfeit or unlawfully diminished Gold Money that shall be tendered in Payment to them, to the Use of His Majesty, His Heirs or Successors, or for or in respect of any Part of the Revenue, Aids, Impositions, Duties, or Taxes, of His Majesty, His Heirs or Successors: And the better to discover Gold Money that is counterfeit, or unlawfully diminished, from that which is good and true, the said Tellers, and their respective Deputies and Clerks, shall weigh in whole Sums, or otherwise, all Gold Money by them received; and if the same, or any Piece thereof, shall, by the Weight, or otherwise, appear to be counterfeit, or unlawfully diminished, the same shall not be received by or from them, in the said Receipt of the Exchequer, nor be allowed them upon their respective Accounts.