Page 38 - Oundle Life October 2024

OUNDLE MUSEUM
Sovereign Scales
One of the little items we have in the Museum collection are these rather pretty sovereign weighing scales, possibly Georgian. Contained
in a hinged tin, they are made of brass and are associated with the Smith’s of Oundle banking business in the town.
The first gold coins called sovereigns
were minted in the reign of Henry VII. The new English sovereign came into existence by a commission dated 28th October, 1489. Sovereigns were struck by each successive monarch until after the accession of James I, when their production ended. The sovereign returned in 1817 and was worth 20 shillings: it was a replacement for the older guinea which had been worth 21 shillings.
Sovereign scales began being offered for
sale almost immediately and were used by shopkeepers and travellers. A shopkeeper would always have a set to check if the sovereign was light in weight.
With the start of the First World War in 1914, the sovereign vanished from circulation in Britain; it was replaced by paper money
and did not return after the war, though issues at colonial mints continued until 1932. The sovereign was still used in the Middle East and demand rose in the 1950s when the Royal Mint
decided to strike new sovereigns in 1957. Since then it has been struck both as a bullion coin and, beginning
in 1979, a coin for collectors.
The Museum remains open at weekends from
1-4pm until the 27th October, when we close for the winter and to prepare a new exhibition for March 2025! Please check our Facebook page for a surprise event in October.
The Management Committee are looking for a new Treasurer to take over from our present one. If you are interested, please contact us on email info@oundlemuseum.org.uk
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