Warden of the Mint was a high-ranking position at the Royal Mint in England from 1216 to 1829. The warden was responsible for a variety of minting procedures and acted as the immediate representative of the current monarch inside the mint. The role of warden changed greatly through history with the original task being the receiving, assay and payment for bullion,[1] while later evolving into more of an administerial role.
The office received a yearly emolument of £500. Up until 1685, wardens were given tenure: many of them died while in office.[2] Although technically subordinate to the Master of the Mint whose job was act as a contractor to the crown, many wardens advanced later on to become Master of the Mint with some wardens holding both offices at the same time.
The most illustrious holder of the office of Warden of the Mint was Isaac Newton, who was warranted to this position on the recommendation of his friend, Charles Montagu, Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1696. In 1699 however, Newton undertook the office of Master of the Mint, which was far more lucrative, as well as potentially more technically challenging. After the death in 1829 of the final warden, Sir Walter James, 1st Baronet, the office was abolished having existed for 613 years.
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r sCraig 1953.
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x"Wardens of the Mint 1572-1869". history.ac.uk. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p qRuding 1840, p. 26
^ a b c dRuding 1840, p. 26-29.
^Challis 1992, p. 155.
^Sharpe 2016, p. 60.
^Clark 2014, p. 185.
^Clark 2014.
^Challis 1992, p. 176.
^Challis 1992, p. 181.
^"Sir Richard Martin: Treatise on the Reorganisation of the Mint". Cambridge University Library. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
^ a bChallis 1989, p. 168.
^"Isaac Newton". Royal Mint. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
^"PEYTON, Craven (c.1663-1738), of Stratton Street, Westminster". The History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
^Craig 1953, p. 206.
Bibliography
Challis, C.E (1989). Mint Officials and Moneyers of the Stuart Period (PDF). British Numismatic Society.
Challis, C.E (1992). A New History of the Royal Mint. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0521240260.
Clark, Linda (2014). The Fifteenth Century XIII: Exploring the Evidence: Commemoration, Administration and the Economy. Boydell Press. ISBN 978-1843839446.
Craig, John (1953). The Mint: A History of the London Mint from A.D. 287 to 1948. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0521170772.
Ruding, Rogers (1840). Annals of the coinage of Great Britain and its dependencies. London.
Sharpe, James (2016). A Fiery & Furious People: A History of Violence in England. Random House Books. p. 60. ISBN 978-1847945136.
External links
Galileo Project Biography of Newton
Royal Mint Biography of Newton
Institute of Historical Research – Wardens of the Mint