Guinea & Sovereign Scale c1820

Folding Guinea & Sovereign scale with a double turn counterweight, label of Stephen Houghton & Son Makers Ormskirk, Successors to A. Wilkinson, Mahogany box  5¼ in x 1 in.

 

Sovereign weight of George IV, Lion on crown Royal Mint 1821, rev. Curt (ie current) weight. Sovereign. DW: 5 GR: 2½  13/16" dia  [W2251a] in a brass Sovereign case embossed with a picture of Windsor Castle.

 

In 1817 a new coin valued at 20 shillings was issued as part of the Great Recoinage.  It became known as the Sovereign, and took some time to become popular.  But once the new denominations had been put into circulation, a set of coin weights including those for guineas and sovereigns was minted by the Royal Mint in brass in 1821.

 

Kindly donated by Eric Sorrell.