Currency—Sydney Mint Act 1854 No 39a (NSW)

No. XXXIX.

An Act to regulate the Currency in New South
Wales of the Gold and Silver Coin issued

from the Branch of the Royal Mint in Sydney.

[2nd December, 1854.]

WH E R E A S H e r Majesty has been pleased to author ize the es tab l i shment a t Sydney of a Branch of H e r Roya l M i n t wi th

t h e i n t en t t h a t t h e Coins issued therefrom shall by H e r Roya l Pro­

c lamat ion be made cur ren t t h r o u g h o u t H e r Majesty 's Aus t r a l i an

Possessions A n d whereas i t is expected t h a t the said B r a n c h M i n t will shor t ly be in operat ion b u t as yet no such Proc lamat ion has been issued nor has any Legislat ive provision been m a d e for declar ing the Coins issued therefrom a legal t ender t h r o u g h o u t t he said Possessions A n d whereas i t is therefore expedient t h a t a provison should be m a d e by a t empora ry Ac t of t he Governor and Council of th i s Colony for m a k i n g such Coins cur ren t and a legal t ender wi th in t he same Be it therefore enacted by H i s Excel lency the Governor of N e w South W a l e s by and w i t h t he advice of t he Legislat ive Council thereof as follows :—

1. T h e Gold Coin issued from the Branch of t he R o y a l M i n t in Sydney shal l be a legal t ender for p a y m e n t s wi th in t h e Colony of New South W a l e s a n d the said Gold Coin shall hold such weight and fineness as are prescr ibed by law for t h e s tandard Gold Coin of Great Br i t a in and I r e l and which weight and fineness are hereby declared to be and shal l r emain to be t h e s t anda rd of and for t h e lawful Gold Coin of th is Colony so far as relates to Gold Coin of t h e denomina t ion a t p resen t in use in Grea t Br i t a in and I r e l a n d and in case any Gold Coin or Coins of any other denominat ion shall hereafter be coined at t h e said B r a n c h M i n t in Sydney such Gold Coin and Coins shall hold t he l ike s t anda rd a n d fineness as t h e Gold Coins of t h e presen t deno­ mina t ions a n d shal l hold such weight as shal l be propor t iona te to the we igh t of t h e presen t Gold Coins according to t he va lue for which such Gold Coin or Coins of any new denominat ion shall be declared

to be cu r r en t .

3 H—VOL. 4. No . X L .

2. A tender of p a y m e n t of money m a d e in t he Silver Coin of E n g l a n d or t h e Silver Coin issued from the said B r a n c h M i n t of any s u m to t he ex ten t of forty shil l ings and no more a t any one t ime shall be reputed a t ende r in law or allowed to be a legal t ende r wi th in t he Colony of N e w Sou th W a l e s ei ther by ta le or weight of such Silver Coin or otherwise howsoever.

3 . This A c t shall be in force un t i l t h e thir ty-f irs t day of

December in the year one thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.