CO129-103 - Others - 1864 — Page 446

CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案 All AI Reviewed

443

"the practice of fraud, while the milled edge has always provided for detecting the best counterfeit coins.

The letters of an inscription for a coin can only be punched singly and by hand; it cannot therefore be guaranteed that the letters upon one collar or die shall be in exactly the same position as the letters upon other collar or die.

I consider that a Dollar with a lettered edge might be more easily imitated than one with a milled edge. After a portion of silver had been taken from the interior of the coin and the space filled with base metal, a thin band of silver upon which the legend had been previously imitated might be placed round the edge and so neatly soldered as to escape detection except by a careful and thoroughly practised observer. On the other hand, the slightest irregularity in the lines of the milled edge is sufficient to demonstrate that fraud has been committed.

I am therefore decidedly in favour of, and recommend a milled edge in preference to a lettered edge for the Hongkong Dollar.

The cost of the alterations made by Messrs Watt & Co. in one of the presses is £120, and they are willing to alter the other three presses for a further sum of £120.

Although, if a milled edge is decided upon, the sum of £120 will be sacrificed, I nevertheless consider the experiment a valuable one, inasmuch as it has demonstrated that in order to place a legend upon the edge of the Dollar, it will be necessary to add such a complicated piece of mechanism to the presses as it will be...

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443 "the practice of fraud, while the milled edge has always provided for detecting the best counterfeit coins. The letters of an inscription for a coin can only be punched singly and by hand; it cannot therefore be guaranteed that the letters upon one collar or die shall be in exactly the same position as the letters upon other collar or die. I consider that a Dollar with a lettered edge might be more easily imitated than one with a milled edge. After a portion of silver had been taken from the interior of the coin and the space filled with base metal, a thin band of silver upon which the legend had been previously imitated might be placed round the edge and so neatly soldered as to escape detection except by a careful and thoroughly practised observer. On the other hand, the slightest irregularity in the lines of the milled edge is sufficient to demonstrate that fraud has been committed. I am therefore decidedly in favour of, and recommend a milled edge in preference to a lettered edge for the Hongkong Dollar. The cost of the alterations made by Messrs Watt & Co. in one of the presses is £120, and they are willing to alter the other three presses for a further sum of £120. Although, if a milled edge is decided upon, the sum of £120 will be sacrificed, I nevertheless consider the experiment a valuable one, inasmuch as it has demonstrated that in order to place a legend upon the edge of the Dollar, it will be necessary to add such a complicated piece of mechanism to the presses as it will be...
Baseline (Original)
W 443 " the practice of frand, while the milled edge has always provided for detecting the best counterfeit coins. the The letters of an inscription for a coin can edge of a upon the collar otie only be prunched singly and by hand; it cannot therefore be guaranteed that the letters upon O+Le elllar or die shall be in exactly the same position as the letters upon other collar or die. any I consider that a Dollar with. causaly Q lettered edge might be more imitated than one with a milled edge. After a portion of silver had been taken from the interior of the coin the space filled with base thin band of and metal, a silver upon which the legend had been previously imitated might might be place round the edge and so neatly soldered as to escape. and detection except by a careful thoroughly practised observer. On the other hand, the slightest irregularity in the lines of the milled edge is sufficient to demonstrate fraud has been committed. therefore decidedly at a له recommend a. milled in preference to a lettered edge for the Honghong Dollar. The cost of the alterations made by Messrs Watt & bo in one presses to the corning of £120 ana they are willing a to alter the other three presses for further sum of £120. Although, if a milled edge is decided upon, the sum of £120 will be sacrificed, I nevertheless consider the experiment a valuable one, enasmuch as it has demonstrated that in order to place ot legend upon the edge of the Dollar, it will be nece to add such a necessary complicated piece of mechanism to the presses as it will be ti at
2026-05-19 10:18:08 · Baseline
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W

443

"

the practice of frand, while the

milled edge has always provided

for detecting

the best

counterfeit coins.

the

The letters of an inscription for

a

coin

can

edge of a upon the collar

otie

only

be prunched

singly and

by hand; it cannot therefore be

guaranteed that the letters upon

O+Le

elllar or

die

shall be in

exactly

the same position as the letters upon

other collar or die.

any

I consider that a

Dollar with.

causaly

Q

lettered edge might be more

imitated than one with a milled edge. After a portion of silver had been taken from the interior of the coin

the space filled with base

thin band of

and

metal, a

silver upon

which the legend had been previously

imitated might

might be place round

the

edge

and

so neatly soldered as

to

escape.

and

detection except by a careful

thoroughly practised observer. On the other hand, the slightest irregularity in the lines of the milled edge is

sufficient to demonstrate fraud has been committed.

therefore decidedly

at a

له

recommend a.

milled

in preference to a lettered edge for

the Honghong Dollar.

The cost of the alterations made

by Messrs Watt & bo in one

presses

to

the corning

of

£120

ana

they

are

willing

a

to alter the other three presses for

further

sum of

£120.

Although, if a milled edge is

decided upon,

the sum

of

£120 will

be sacrificed, I nevertheless consider the experiment a valuable one, enasmuch as it has demonstrated that in order to place

ot

legend upon the edge of the Dollar, it will be nece

to add such a

necessary complicated piece of

mechanism to the presses

as it will be

ti

at

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