Foreign Coins and Tokens
Foreign Coins and Tokens, British Guiana, Essequibo and Demerara, silver 3 bitts (1808), valued at fifteen pence, a central segment from a Spanish-American 8 reales with 19 crenations, rev. countermarked E&D/3. BTS raised within a beaded circle, wt. 4.46gms. (KM.1; Pr.3[cf. Sale, lot 152]; Scholten 1442), struck slightly off centre, countermark very fine, very rare
*ex Spink Auction No. 79, 15 October 1990, lot 405, The R. J. Ford Collection
The authority for the 3 Guilder pierced dollar and the 3 bitt plug are recorded in the minutes from the Essequibo & Demerara Court of Policy, on 9 December 1808. The Governor, His Excellency Lt. Colonel Ross (acting Lt. Governor) put forth a proposal, which was passed, that all persons having Spanish Dollars should present these to the authorities who will pierce and stamp them. The dollars would be returned to their owners along with an extra payment of 1 Bitt. The plugs would be retained by the local government and reissued back into circulation at a value of 3 Bitts. Thus the government would gain 2 bitts from each plug to cover the cost of piercing and stamping and the remainder would be profit.
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Foreign Coins and Tokens, British Guiana, Essequibo and Demerara, silver 3 bitts (1808), valued at fifteen pence, a central segment from a Spanish-American 8 reales with 19 crenations, rev. countermarked E&D/3. BTS raised within a beaded circle, wt. 4.46gms. (KM.1; Pr.3[cf. Sale, lot 152]; Scholten 1442), struck slightly off centre, countermark very fine, very rare
*ex Spink Auction No. 79, 15 October 1990, lot 405, The R. J. Ford Collection
The authority for the 3 Guilder pierced dollar and the 3 bitt plug are recorded in the minutes from the Essequibo & Demerara Court of Policy, on 9 December 1808. The Governor, His Excellency Lt. Colonel Ross (acting Lt. Governor) put forth a proposal, which was passed, that all persons having Spanish Dollars should present these to the authorities who will pierce and stamp them. The dollars would be returned to their owners along with an extra payment of 1 Bitt. The plugs would be retained by the local government and reissued back into circulation at a value of 3 Bitts. Thus the government would gain 2 bitts from each plug to cover the cost of piercing and stamping and the remainder would be profit.
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