Copy of letter suggesting allowing gravers to maintain their skill through the production of medals

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To the Right Honourable the Lord High Treasurer of England

May it Please Your Lordship

In Obedience to Your Lordships Order of Reference of the 8th. May Wee have Considered the petition of the Gravers of the Mint hereunto annexed and are humbly of Opinion that good Graving is the best security of the Coin and is best acquired by Graving of Medals and that without Exercise in such Graving the Gravers may in time lose the Skill which they have allready acquired, And Considering that it is the Master and Wrokers Duty to Coin the Money well and that the Gravers of the Mint are Her Majestys Servants under his Direction for that purpose, We are humbly of Opinion that He be Empowered by Her Majestys Warrant to give leave to the said Gravers or any of them to make and sell such Medalls of fine Gold and fine silver as do not relate to state affairs and upon such sort of Medalls as are made for rewarding persons by Her Majesty for their good Services to Impress the Service such Medals are given for with the Date.

And Wee are further of opinion that in the same Warrant the said Master and Worker be Empowered to Direct and Require the said Gravers and every of them to make such other Medalls of fine Gold fine Silver and fine Copper with plain historical Designs and Inscriptions in Memory of Great Actions as shall be Approved by the Warden, Master, & Comptroller of the said Mint, or by any other persons whom Your Lordship shall please to Appoint and to make Embossments puncheons Dyes & other Instruments requisite for Coining the same and to Worke in such Manner for making the same as He the said Master shall Appoint

All which is most humbly submitted &c.

[1]

I Stanley

Is Newton

In Ellis.

Read 22 Augt. 1706.

My Lord agrees to this Report, and a Warrant to be prepared accordingly