A small contribution to the interpretation of the Haitian law of June

A small contribution to the interpretation of the Haitian law of June 27,
1811 authorizing the piercing of silver coins.
Carlos Jara.
Introduction and preliminary comments.
This short article will serve to clarify a point that arose in the great article by F. Carl Braun 1 where
this author conclusively identified the pieces related to the Haitian June 27, 1811 law authorizing
the piercing of silver coins. Prior to discussing that point itself, it is nevertheless useful to introduce
the historical and econominal circumstances surrounding the proclamation of this law.
Starting in 1807, and after the assassination of Jean Jacques Dessalines, Haiti faced a civil war as
two different governments emerged: the Kingdom of Haiti headed by king Henry Christophe in the
North, and the Republic of Haiti, ruled by president Alexandre Pétion in the sourthern part of the
island. While the Kingdom of Haiti was relatively prosper and had even issued regular coinage
between 1807 and 1809, the Republic of Haiti had experienced an almost continuous lack of
circulating media. This state of affairs had intially induced the proclamation of the May 4, 1808
law. This law, transcribed in the appendix 2, aimed at retaining the silver coinage in local circulation
by artificially augmenting their value, and authorized the project of minting coins in small
denominations of ½, 1, 1 ½ and 2 escalins3; these new minor coins would then in turn be used to
replace the other minor coins found in circulation, which formed an heterogeneous group.
However, all eventually resulted in failure, since the May 4, 1808 law was revoked and left without
less than three months later by the law of July 26, 1808:
No 177. Loi qui rapporte celle du 4 mai dernier, No 177. Law that revokes that of past May 4, on
sur l'augmentation des monnaies.4
the augmentation of the value of the coins.
Port-au-Prince, le 26 juillet 1808 an V.
Le Sénat,
Oüi le rapport de sa commission des finances;
Considérant que la loi du 4 mai dernier, sur la
valeur des monnaies, n'a point atteint le but que
l’on s'était proposé; et que la différence des
pièces jetait dans le commerce une confusion
que la malveillance cherche á faire tourner au
1
Port-au-Prince, July 26, 1808, year V.
The Senate,
Having heard the report of his commission of
Finance,
Considering that the law of past May 4, on the
value of the coins, has not attained the expected
goal, and that the differences between the
different coins created confusion among
Braun, F. Carl: “A Triple Numismatic Enigma of the Nineteenth Century Carribean: Haiti, Barbados, St.
Kitts or Vieques?”, pages 117-190 in Money of the Carribean: Coinage of the Americas Conference at the
American Numismatic Society (New York, December 4, 1999).
2
See pages 9-11 for its complete transcription.
3
Note that coins of ½, 1, and 2 Escalins had already been issued in Haiti under Toussaint Louverture in 1802,
making these denominations still familiar in 1808.
4
Note: the laws are transcribed from Linstant Pradine’s work “Recueil Général des Lois & Actes du
Gouvernement d’Haiti depuis la Proclamation de son Indépendance jusqu’a nos jours”, and his sequential
numeration of the laws and decrees is also transcribed. The present July 26, 1808 law is transcribed in
Linstant Pradine’s vol. 1, pages. 450-451.
profit de l'agiotage;
Voulant réprimer les abus qui pourraient en
résulter,
DECLARE qu'il y a urgence et décrète ce qui
suit :
Art. 1. La loi du 4 mai dernier, sur la nouvelle
valeur donnée à la monnaie, est rapportée.
Art. 2, La présente loi sera imprimée.
Au Port-au-Prince, le 26 juillet 1808, an V de
l’indépendance.
Signé: Lys, président, Fresnel et Delaunay,
secrétaires.
AU NOM DE LA RÉPUBLIQUE.
Le Président d'Haïti ordonne que la loi cidessus, etc.
Signé : PÉTION.
commerce,
Desiring to suppress the abuses that could
result, declares that there is urgency, and
decrees as follows:
Article 1. The law of past May 4, on the new
value given to the coins is revoked.
Article 2. The present law will be printed.
At Port-au-Prince, on July 26, 1808, year V of
the independence.
Signed: Lys, President; Fresnel and Delaunay,
Secretaries.
IN THE NAME OF THE REPUBLIC
The President of Haiti orders that the above law,
etc.
Signed: PÉTION.
Since no further mentions are made about the projected emission of ½, 1, 1 ½ and 2 escalins, either
in the law of July 26, or in other subsequent laws or decrees pertaining to coinage, it appears that
these coins were never minted.
The law of June 27, 1811.
Approximately 3 years after the revocation of the May 4, 1808 monetary law, another one, dated
June 27, 1811, was proclaimed 5. But although both laws shared their main objectives (to prevent the
outflow of circulating coinage, and to provide a minor coinage for local circulation), the June 27,
1811 law aimed to reach them with radically different methods: instead of raising the value of the
locally circulating silver coins, it ordered to intrinsically reduce their worth (while keeping their
nominal value) by a central piercing, and instead of minting a series of minor coins, it simply
instructed to counterstamp the central pieces obtained from the piercing, with their newly
established values. Interestingly, this was essentially the same methodology instructed by the May
4, 1808 law for the coins of ½ escalins 6.
The starting point for this 1811, June 27 law was a project presented by Pétion in a letter to the
Senate dated June 22, in which he proposed to pierce the 1 gourde coins (or Spanish colonial 8
Reales), and enclosed a pierced gourde and its corresponding extracted piece. Following Pétion’s
letter, the Senate passed the law of June 27, 1811 with several revisions. The Senate expanded the
range of coins to be pierced, from only Spanish 8 Reales (In the Pétion experiment and proposal), to
Spanish 8, 4 and 2 Reales, and French écus of 6 and 5 Francs (the latter referred to as the 100 sols
piece) and established a maximum amount of 100000 gourdes worth of coins to be pierced (articles
1 & 2). In article 3, the Senate described the method to put the pierced coins and obtained plugs
5
6
See pages 14-15 for its complete transcription.
See pages 9-11 for a transcription of this law.
into circulation. It is the interpretation of this article that we will analyze in more depth in this
article.
Note that another important difference with Pétion’s original proposal is that the value of the
extracted center pieces was augmented by the Senate, probably by a desire to increase their profits,
since, as we see below, the Haitian government would perceive a fee for the piercing of coins
owned by privateers. In particular, the value of the piece extracted from the 8 Reales was raised
from 1 ½ escalins (Pétion’s proposed value) to 2 escalins. The value of the pieces extracted from
other silver coins was fixed accordingly in proportion, while the value for the holed coins was
maintained at the value they had prior to the perforation. On the other hand, as noted by Braun 7, the
intrinsic ratio value between gold and silver was maintained, at ca. 16 to 1 (article 4).
We think it is evident8 that the whole piercing operation project was influenced by the decree
proclaimed in Guadeloupe on May 6, 1811 9, which, among other things, ordered to pierce the
gourdes with a central square hole, while retaining their value of 9 livres, and to accept the central
removed pieces to pass for 1 livre (or 20 sous). More comments on this link will be presented in an
upcoming post, but for now, note for example that, among other coincidences, the Guadeloupe
decree also instructed to perceive part of the value of the extracted piece as a fee to undertake the
piercing operation 10.
As mentioned above, the Haitian government also instructed to perceive a fee for the piercing of the
coins owned by privateers, fixing it at 2/3 of the extracted coin (article 5). Therefore, although the
owner of the coin theoretically perceived a gain of 1/3 of the extracted piece (since the value of the
holed coin was artificially maintained, despite of the perforation), he incurred intrinsically in a loss
of 2/3 of the extracted piece. This loss might seem high, but was actually similar to the one incurred
7
Braun, op. cit., page 131: “Article 4 prudently stipulated that gold coins were to “retain” their value,
circulating at 18 pierced gourdes for the Spanish-American doubloon (8 escudos) instead of 16 unholed
gourdes, and at 9 pierced gourdes for the portugaise or joe instead of 8 gourdes, thus matching closely the
inflation of the circulating value of the pierced gourde.”. If one takes the weight of the Pétion trial piece as
reference (this trial piece weighed 23.902 g), 18 pierced gourdes would equate to 430.236 g of silver. Taking
the official weight of the 8 Reales (27.0642 g), 16 unholed pieces equate to 433.0272 g. Thus article 4 ensured
in theory that the intriscin value of the Spanish colonial 8 escudos was maintained at 99.35% (the ratio
between these 2 calculated weights).
8
Braun (op. cit., page 130) is more cautious: “perhaps aware of the piercing of gourdes in Guadeloupe by the
British forces in May 1811, Pétion sent a message to the Haitian Senate ...and proposed the piercing of
Spanish-American 8, 4 and 2 Reales, as well as French écus and 5-franc pieces.” This sentence is slightly
incorrect, since Pétion’s letter only mentioned the piercing of gourdes (8 Reales), and it was the Haitian
Senate who expanded the piercing operation to other denominations of silver coins. Mangones (op. cit., page
25) concurs with us, writing that “It appears that this decision by Petion was not spontaneous [but rather
influenced by similar operations that took place in the colonial administrations]”.
9
See Lyall, Robert: “West Indian Coinage – some new discoveries”, page 7.
10
The decree read in part: “All whole [unpierced] dollars taken to the public treasury in Basse-Terre {for their
piercing] will be received at a value of 4 mocos and 3 noirs”. the 4 mocos were worth 45 sous each, and so 4
mocos were worth 9 livres (the same value of the pierced gourde, which is logical since the moco was in
practice a quarter of the pierced gourde or dollar), while 3 noirs were equivalent to 7.5 sous (1 noir = 2.5
sous). Therefore the government in Guadeloupe charged 12.5 sous for the piercing of each gourde or dollar
(since the removed square piece was worth 20 sous).
by the privateers in Guadeloupe (where the loss was of 12.5 sous per each extracted piece of 20
sous, therefore a loss of 62% of the extracted piece).
While the law of June 27, 1811, was transcribed by Linstant Pradine11, and the piercing operation
mentioned by both Madiou and Ardouin12, identifying the pieces related to it proved far more
elusive and difficult to historians and numismatists. For example, Lacombe wrote that he hoped that
“...a lucky searcher will one day discover one of the rings of metal [one of the pierced silver coins],
that caused so much trouble to President Pétion”13, while noted Haitian collector Edmond
Mangones wrote ca. 1966 that despite searching for 50 years, he had not been able to trace any of
the coins related with the June 17, 1811 law14. Mangones was aware of most of the related
documentation, and he also deducted (correctly) that the piercing was round. He also most probably
knew some of the “holey dollars”15 or other pierced coins and some of the central extracted
pieces16, which have since been correctly attributed to Haiti. But he failed to identify these coins as
the pierced pieces of the June 27 law because he erred badly in estimating the diameter of the
perforation, estimating it at ca. 16 mm17, which is far too much, as we will see.
It was not until F. C. Braun groundbreaking assay that the attributions of the known surviving coins
related to that law were finally established in a logical and scientific way. Thanks to Braun’s
insight and logical argumentation, three groups of coins can be known safely attributed to Haiti, all
related to the June 27, 1811 law. Rather than repeating his logical methodology and conclusions, it
is certainly more useful to illustrate some of each of these three groups here, prior to further analyze
their related documentation.
-
11
1st group: coins with a central round perforation and with a palm tree counterstamp in a
rectangular cartouche18.
See page 14.
Ardouin, Beaubrun: “Etudes sur l’Histoire d’Haiti”, tome 7, pages 416-417.
13
Lacombe, op. cit., page 56. Lacombe also pointed out that it was conceivable and even probable that the
coins pierced in Haiti had a round hole.
14
Mangones, Edmond: “Numismatique et législation monétaire haitienne”, page 26.
15
We are referring of course to crown or dollar-sized coins, such as a Spanish 8 Reales, pierced with a central
hole.
16
Note for example that there is a 2 Escalins “plug” plated in Wood as # 126, a publication that Mangones
lists in the bibliography of his work. Wood of course is a reference to Wood, Howland: “The coinage of the
West Indies” (1914).
17
Mangones was an enthusiast numismatist but to all appearances, a poor mathematician, since the correct
formula for estimation of the perforation’s diameter d (based on the weights of both the pierced 8 Reales
(26.77 g) and the extracted piece (2.868 g) obtained by Pétion) is not difficult to deduct: d=D/√9.334 where
d= diameter of the perforation and D = diameter of the 8 Reales used by Pétion. Using the commonly
encountered value of 39 mm for the 8 Reales, we obtain that the perforation must have been of ca. 12.78 mm,
very much in line with the known coins today.
18
Only a few coins of these characteristics are known (around 15), mostly Spanish Colonial 8 and 2 Reales.
Most of them are counterfeit base coins, show a variety of different punches of the palm tree counterstamp
(all of this compatible with the extremely high (more than 90%) counterfeit ratio of this issue. also, most of
them also have evidence of being plugged after the countermark of the palm tree was applied, this
undoubtedly an effort to pass this counterfeit coins for their “full value” in weight after their demonetization
(pierced coins were allowed to circulate by weight for some time after their demonetization.
12
Braun’s insight allowed him to identify the rectangular mark as depicting a palm tree, and not a
pinneaple19 or crab 20 as had been thought before. The palm tree was the principal element of the
coat of arms of Haiti in 1811 (and still is nowadays). This fact, coupled with the weights and
characteristics that this group of coins shows, all compatible with the, allow to safely attribute them
as corresponding to the law of June 27, 1811, save for the one point which is the subject on this
article, and will be expanded further on.
Figure 1: a counterfeit Mexico 8 Reales 1780 FF pierced and countermarked with a
palm tree sta mp and subsequently plugged 21
-
2nd group: circular pieces extracted from silver coins, countermarked with the “1” and “2”
numerals.
Some of these plugs have been known from the 19th century22. Most of the few pieces known are
countermarked with a “2” numeral (normal or reversed). In addition, very few plugs countermarked
with a “1” are also known. These correspond naturally to Monnaie d’Haiti (see our note on the
contemporary names for these pieces below) of 2 escalins and 1 escalin respectively.
Figure 2: 2 escalins plug extracted from an 8 Rea les piece 23
19
3rd group: coins with a central round perforation, with no countermark, but whose weight and
For example Burzio, Humberto: “Diccionario de la Moneda Hispano Americana”, vol. I, pages 23-24
(under Barbados). and Pridmore, Fred: “The Coins of the British Commonwealth of Nations. Part 3: West
Indies”, coin # 8 (under Barbados).
20
For example Schulman, Hans: “The Howard Gibbs Collection of Counterstamped, Necessity, and Siege
Coins of the Americas” (New York, 18-19 March 1966), description of lot # 1942.
21
Dix, Noonan and Webb September 28, 2010 auction: “The Collection of Cut and Countermarked Coins
formed by the late Edward Roehrs”, lot # 25.
22
See for example lot # 591 in Low, Lyman: “Catalogue of a Collection of Coins and Medals to be sold by
Mssrs. Bangs & Co.”. New York, February 3-4, 1885: a two escalin plug (variety with reverse 2).
23
Dix, Noonan and Webb September 28, 2010 auction: “The Collection of Cut and Countermarked Coins
formed by the late Edward Roehrs”, lot # 27.
characteristics are in accordance with the law of June 17, 1811.
The more common group, although rare in their own right. Around 50 of these are now known,
according to Braun’s survey 24. The average diameter of their perforations is of 12.66 mm for the 8
Reales coins, very much in accordance with our estimate, based on the documentation25.
Figure 3: Uncountermarked pierced dollar siz e d coins 26
Note that the historical documentation (most of which refers to the circulation of the pierced and
extracted plugs, and their eventual recalling from circulation) distinguishes between two groups of
pieces: on one hand, the pierced coins, always referred to as “pierced coinage”, “pierced gourdes
or gourdins” (pierced gourdes and 2 Reales), and so on, and on the other hand, the extracted center
pieces, referred to as “petite monnaie” (small coinage), “monnaie d’Haiti” (coinage of Haiti), or
simply “d’Haitis”27.
Our contribution
Having presented the countermarked pieces that interest us, let us now go back to the analysis of
article 3 of the June 17, 1811 law. As we mentioned previously, the Senate also described, in article
3, the “most convenient method” (to quote Pétion’s letter and proposal dated June 22) for putting
the pierced coins and obtained plugs into circulation. The translation/interpretation of article 3,
deserve extra attention since it is one of the very few somewhat obscure points that remained in
Braun’s article, and listed by him among the “Issues and Areas for Further Research”. The
relevant part of this article reads as follows (in the original French):
24
Braun, op. cit., page 164.
See footnote # 17.
26
Taken from Braun, op. cit., page 119.
27
It is most important not to confuse these two groups to avoid possible misinterpretations of the available
documentation, particularly since most of this documentation refers to the massive counterfeiting problem,
and allows to clearly deduce that the main counterfeit problem was with the d’Haitis, and not the pierced
coins.
25
“Lesquelles pièces trouées, ainsi que les petites monnaies extraites seront marquées, d’un côté d’un
poinçon que le gouvernement désignera, et de l’autre coté le prix de ladite monnaie.”.
Braun translated ”d’un coté” literally, meaning on “one side of the coin”, and obtained the
following interpretation: “Article 3 of the law authorized two countermarks, one on each side, on
both the holed coins and the plugs. One was to be a poinçon (or mark) “that the Government will
designate”, and the other was to be the “value” of the coin.”28.
This translation/interpretation does not correspond exactly with the known pieces: indeed, the
known pierced coins bearing the palm tree countermark do not show any value counterstamp, while
the known plugs countermarked with their value in escalins 29 do not show any countermark with
the coat of arms of Haiti (be it the palm tree or another part of said coat of arms). Probably
unsatisfied with this loose end, Braun further hypothesized:
“The law mandates two stamps, a “punch” (poinçon) and the “value”. If the punch (i.e., the palm
stamp) is known on the holed pieces, and the “value” is known on the plugs, no recorded coin bears
both stamps, one on each side, as stipulated in the law. Various reasons can be put forward for
further analysis;
1. Perhaps a 12 and an 11 were not counterstamped on the écu and on the 8 R specimens
because a 5 ½ and ¾ (escalin) countermark would have been extremely awkward (and
therefore undesirable) on the pierced 4 and 2 Reales.
2. In the same vein, perhaps only the 2- and 1-escalin plugs were countermarked with a 2 and
a 1 because 2 ½, 1 ½, and ½ would have been either awkward or impossible on the plugs
from the écus, 5 francs, and 2 reales, respectively.
3. Moreover, given the size of the rectangular punch used for the palm tree countermark, it
would have been impossible to countermark the ½ escalin plug and very inconvenient to
stamp the 1- and 2-escalins plugs.
4. Perhaps it was deemed unproductive to stamp each side of both the host coin and the plug,
which would have entailed five operations compared to three with the piercing and one
counterstamp each o the host and the plug.”
None of the above explanations prove to be fully satisfactory, and a small doubt remained as to
whether the pieces presented in Group 1 corresponded with the pieces originally countermarked
according to the June 17, 1811 law. However, our alternative interpretation, now presented
following, will hopefully put this matter to rest: note that “d’un coté” can be translated either
literally (as Braun did, meaning on one side of the coin) or figuratively, meaning “d’une part” or
“on the one hand”. This alternative interpretation leads to the more logical translation (see
following page):
28
29
Braun, op. cit., page 131.
As seen previously, known counterstamped plugs bear a “1” or a “2” for 1 and 2 escalins respectively.
Correct French interpretation
Lesquelles pièces trouées, ainsi que les petites
monnaies extraites seront [respectivement]
marquées, d'une part d'un poinçon que le
gouvernement désignera, et d'autre part [avec]
le prix [la valeur] de la dite monnaie.
English translation
The mentioned pierced coins, and the small
extracted coins will be marked, the former with
a punch [counterstamp, referring to the palm
tree countermark] that the government will
designate, and the latter with the value of said
coin.
As a side note that supports our conclusions, we may also remark that, on all the coins authorized
by the law to be pierced (Spanish colonial 8, 4 and 2 Reales, French ecus of 6 livres and French
coins of 100 sols), the part of the coin bearing the denomination, if there is any such denomination
apparent, is always left unaltered by a central piercing: on the French coins, there is no
denomination (and since they circulated at their established value, people must have recognized
them by their crown size or diameter), while on the Spanish coins, the denomination is part of the
reverse circular legend around the shield, left unaltered after a central piercing.
Since all these coins preserved their circulating value after being pierced, counterstamping them
with this unchanged value was unnecessary. However, counterstamping them with the official
“punch” mentioned in article 3 (which can now be conclusively identified as the palm tree punch, as
proposed by Braun) was deemed necessary to theoretically distinguish the coins obtained from the
official piercing operation from their counterfeit counterparts.
This new interpretation seems indeed more logical, since all pieces of the groups 1 and 2 of coins
previously described by us, are fully compatible with it. It is this translation that we consider as
correct. We may therefore safely conclude that the pierced coins countermarked with the palm tree
and the round center plugs countermarked with “1” and “2” correspond exactly, and not partially,
to the law of June 27, 1811, and can be definitively attributed to that law.
Transcription and translation of the law of May 4, 180830:
No. 168.- Loi du 4 mai 1808 sur la valeur des
monnaies.
Après avoir entendu le rapport de sa commission des
finances;
Considérant que toutes les mesures prises jusqu'à ce
jour pour empêcher l'exportation du numéraire, ont
été insuffisantes et infructueuses; qu'il est cependant
nécessaire et même urgent d'aviser au moyen, non
seulement de fixer l'argent dans le pays, mais encore
d'en encourager l'introduction;
Considérant que pour atteindre ce but, et favoriser en
même temps la vente des denrées et productions de
notre sol, il convient de donner une augmentation de
valeur aux monnaies y ayant cours, et de créer une
petite monnaie nationale pour faciliter les échanges;
No 168. Law of may 4, 1808 on the value of coins.
After hearing the report of its Commission of
Finance:
Considering that all the measures taken until this
day to prevent the outflow of coinage, have been
insufficient and ineffective; that it is nevertheless
necessary and even urgent to establish a measure, not
only to halt the outflow of coins, but also of
encouraging its introduction;
Considering that to achieve this goal, and to favor at
the same time the sale of goods and products of our
soil, it is convenient to augment the value of the
coins in circulation, and to create a small national
coinage to facilitate the transactions;
Après la seconde lecture, l'urgence en a été reconnue;
After the second lecture, the urgency has been
recognized;
Et il a décrété et décrète ce qui suit:
And it has decreed and decrees as follows:
Article 1. A compter du jour de la publication de la
présente loi, la gourde d'Espagne, dont la valeur est
de 8 livres 5 sous ou onze escalins, vaudra 9 livres
ou 12 escalins.
Article 1. From the date of the publication of the
present law, the gourde of Spain, whose value is of 8
livres 5 sous or 11 escalins, will be worth 9 livres or
12 escalins.
La demi-gourde et le quart de gourde vaudront en
proportion.
The half gourde and quarter gourde will be valued in
proportion.
Art. 2. L'écu de 6 francs de France, dont la valeur est
de 9 livres ou 12 escalins, vaudra 9 livres 15 sous
ou 13 escalins.
Article 2. The French ecu of 6 Francs, whose value
is of 9 livres or 12 escalins, will be worth 9 livres
15 sous or 13 escalins.
Art. 3. l'Ecu de 5 fr. de France, dont la valeur est de
7 livres 10 sous ou de 10 escalins, vaudra 8 livres 3
sous ou 11 escalins.
Article 3. The French ecu of 5 Francs, whose value
is of 7 livres 10 sous, or 10 escalins, will be worth 8
livres 3 sous or 11 escalins.
Article 4. Toutes les petites monnaies connues sous
la dénomination de pièces de 30 sous, 24 sous, 15
sous, 12 sous et 6 sous de France; toutes celles
connues sous le titre de ½ escalin, escalin, et double
escalin, continueront d'avoir la même valeur, jusqu'à
ce qu'elles soient échangées par le gouvernement
Article 4. All the small coins such as the French 30
sous, 24 sous, and 6 sous; the ones known as ½
escalin, escalin and double escalin, will continue to
have the same value, until they are exchanged by the
government against National coins, described below
[see Article 7].
30
Taken from Pradine, Linstant: “Recueil Général des Lois et Actes du Gouvernement d’Haiti depuis la
Proclamation de son Indépendance jusqu’a nos jours, Tome I: 1804-1808”, pages 442-444.
pour des monnaies nationales, dont il sera parlé ciaprès [Article 7].
Art. 5. Les monnaies d’or d’Espagne, les
portugaises, les louis de France, la Guinée
d’Angleterre, ayant le poids requis, c’ est-à-dire que,
pour être de poids,
Le quadruple doit peser...........7 gros 3 grains
Le louis de France..................2
La portugaise.........................3
56
La Guinée d’Angleterre............2
12
Continueront d’ avoir cours et pour la même valeur
que celles qu’ elle ont dans ce moment ; celle qui ne
seront point de poids auront aussi cours, mais
seulement pour la valeur de ce qu’ elles contiendront
de matière, eu égard au prix réglé pour celles au
poids.
Art. 6. Les pièces qui, ayant le poids, pécheront par
la qualité de la matière, ainsi que celles qui
pécheront par le poids et qualité, seront les unes et
les autres rejetés comme de fausse fabrique, en
conséquence, les fabricateurs, introducteurs et
expositeurs d’ icelles seront poursuivis
conformément aux lois et règlements existants dans
le pays, contre lesfaux monnayeurs.
Art. 7. Il sera fabriqué une petite monnaie pour la
valeur de 200,000 gourdes, dont unquart en ½
escalins ; un quart en pièces d’ un escalin ; un quart
en pièces d’ un escalin et demi ; et quart en pièces
de deux escalins.
Cette petite monnaie sera la seule qui aura cours
dans Haïti ; et aussitôt la mise encirculation, toutes
les monnaies mentionnées en l’ article 4 seront
échangées pour icelles.
Article 8. Toutes les pièces de monnaie mentionnées
en l’ article précédent, seront de poids, savoir :
Le demi escalin de .................20 grains.
L’escalin ..............................40
L’escalin et demi ...................60
Les 2 escalins ........................80
Article 5. The gold coins from Spain, the
Portuguese, the French Louis, the English Guinea,
that have the required weight, meaning that to be of
acceptable weight, The quadruple [Spanish Colonial
8 Escudos] has to weigh 7 gros, 3 grains.
The French Louis 2 gros.
The Portuguese [Portuguese “Joe” or 6400 Reis] 3
gros 56 grains.
The English Guinea 2 gros 12 grains.
Will continue to circulate and for the same value that
they have at this time; those lacking in weight will
also be allowed to circulate, but only at the intrinsic
value of their gold content, in proportion with the
values of a comparable coin of full weight.
Article 6. The pieces of correct weight, but of lower
quality [purity] in metal, and those who are both
underweight and of lower quality, will all be rejected
as counterfeit, and, in consequence, the
counterfeiters, conveyors and owners of said pieces
will be pursued in accordance with the existing laws
and regulations of the country against counterfeiters.
Article 7. There will be minted a small coinage for
the total amount of 200000 gourdes, a quarter in ½
escalins, a quarter in pieces of 1 escalin, a quarter of
pieces of 1 ½ escalins, and a quarter in pieces of 2
escalins.
These coins will be the only small coinage allowed
to circulate in Haiti; and upon their release into
circulation, all the coins hereby mentioned in article
4 will be exchanged for them.
Article 8. All the coins mentioned in the previous
article will have the following weights:
-
the ½ escalin...... 20 grains
the 1 escalin....... 40
the 1 ½ escalins. 60
the 2 escalins..... 80
Article 9. Except for the ½ escalin, which will be
marked with a punch, the other coins will bear, on
one side, a palm tree surmounted with a Phrygian
bonnet, with the following legend, REPUBLIQUE
D’HAITI and the year stamped underneath the tree;
on the other side, two olive branches forming a
Art. 9. Excepté le ½ escalin, qui sera marqué d’ un
poinçons, les autres pièces porteront pour
empreintes, d’un côté, un palmiste surmonté d’un
bonnet de liberté, avec ces mots, République d’
Haïti et l’année marquée au pied de l’ arbre ; de
l’autre coté, deux branches d’olivier en forme de
couronne, avec ces mots, Liberté, Egalité ; dans le
centrede la couronne, la valeur de la pièce sera
marquée.
Art. 10. Tout faux fabricateur de cette monnaie sera
poursuivi dans toute la rigueurdes ordonnances
anciennes contre les faux monnayeurs.
Art. 11.- Les débiteurs, dont les termes de leur
obligations sont échus, seront tenus de payer le
montant sans avoir égard à l’ augmentation de la
gourde, mais ceux dont le terme est à échoir,
jouiront du bénéfice de l’ augmentation.
Art. 12.- Les droits d’ importation, et généralement
toutes les sommes quelconques dues à l’Etat, seront
acquittés sans avoir égard à l’augmentation de la
gourde.
Art. 13.- Tous règlements, lois et ordonnances
contraires aux dispositions de la présente loi, sont
abrogés.
crown, with the legend, LIBERTÉ, ÉGALITÉ; in
the center of the crown, the value of the piece will be
stamped.
Article 10. Any counterfeiter of this coinage will be
pursued will all the rigor of the old ordinances
against counterfeiters.
Article 11. The debitors, with expired obligations,
will have to pay their due sum without considering
the augmentation of the value of the gourde, but
those with not-yet-expired ones, will enjoy the
benefit of this augmentation.
Article 12. The rights of importation, and in general
all sums owed to the State will be payed without
considering the augmentation of the gourde.
Article 13. All regulations, laws and ordinances
contrary to the dispositions of the present law, are
revoked and no longer valid.
Article 14. The present law will be printed.
Port-au-Prince, on May 4, 1808. Year V.
Larose, President.
Manigat and Ch. Daguilh Secretaries.
IN THE NAME OF THE REPUBLIC
Art. 14.- La présente loi sera imprimée.
Port-au-Prince le 4 mai 1808, an V.
Larose, Président
Manigat et Ch Daguilh, sécrétaires
AU NOM DE LA RÉPUBLIQUE
Le Président d’ Haïti ordonne que la loi ci-dessus
etc..
The President orders that the present law, etc...
Transcription and translation of the letter from Pétion dated June 22, 1811 31:
Alexandre Pétion, Président
Alexandre Pétion, President.
Au Sénat de la République
To the Senate of the Republic.
Citoyens sénateurs,
Citizen Senators.
La disparition des gourdes dans la République
devenant chaque jour plus sensible par l'exportation
que les lois en vigueur et la grande surveillance n'ont
pu prévenir, et cette monnaie assurant aux
navigateurs étrangers qui fréquentent nos ports des
remises certaines, par les primes qu'elle obtient dans
toutes les villes étrangères qui trafiquent avec nous,
surtout dans des circonstances où le système
prohibitif de nos denrées sur le Continent Européen
rend leur valeur ici idéale, il a été de mon devoir de
songer aux moyens de retenir dans la circulation une
quantité d'argent indispensable pour assurer à l'Etat
le moyen d'entretenir les armées et pourvoir aux
autres besoins qui ne peuvent se couvrir qu'avec
l'argent, et encore pour faciliter les transactions entre
les citoyens dont les relations commerciales
deviendraient chaque jour plus difficiles, s'il n'était
pris une mesure rigoureuse pour arrêter l'enlèvement
du numéraire.
The disappearance of gourdes in the Republic
augmenting every day because of the outflow of
coinage that neither the current legislation nor the
great surveillance have been able to prevent, and this
coinage ensuring to the foreign navigators assured
payments, due to the premium that it obtains in all
cities trading with us, particularly in circumstances
where the prohibition of our commodities in the
European continent renders their value ideal
[meaning the highest possible] in this territory, it
was my duty to reflect about the means of retaining
in circulation an amount of coinage indispensable to
ensure to the State the means to pay the armies and
purvey to the other needs that can only be paid with
money, and also to facilitate the transactions between
citizens, among which commercial relationships
would become increasingly difficult, if no rigorous
measure was taken to prevent the outflow of
circulating coinage.
Dans ces conjonctures, j'ai pensé que l'enlèvement
d'une pièce dans la gourde serait le moyen le plus
convenable à l'Etat, en ce que la gourde percée restera
dans le pays en continuant sa valeur de 11 escalins,
et que la pièce enlevée circulera comme une petite
monnaie à la valeur intrinsèque en la proportionnant
à celle de la gourde non percée. En conséquence, j'ai
ordonné la confection d'une matrice pour
l'enlèvement de la pièce ci- dessus mentionnée. Je
viens d'en faire l'épreuve, de laquelle il résulte que la
gourde percée pesant 6 gros 18 grains, la pièce sortie
de la gourde pèse 54 grains, et proportionnant la
valeur de la cette pièce, d'après son poids, à celle de
la gourde, j'ai trouvé qu'elle peut circuler pour un
escalin et demi ou 13 centimes ½. Je m'empresse de
vous communiquer citoyens Sénateurs, ce résultat,
afin que vous délibérez sur l'émission d'une loi
ordonnant la circulation de la gourde percée et de la
In these conjectures, I have thought that the removal
of a piece of the gourde would be the most
convenient mean to the State, with the pierced
gourde staying in the country with the same value of
11 escalins, and that the removed piece circulating as
a small coinage with its intrinsic value proportional
to that of the unpierced gourde. In consequence, I
have ordered the confection of a device for the
piercing hereby mentioned. I have made a trial, with
the resulting pierced gourde weighing 6 gros, 18
grains, and the extracted piece 54 grains, and making
a proportion between the weight of the latter and that
of the gourde, I have concluded that the removed
piece can circulate for 1 ½ escalins or 13 ½
centimes. I am immediately conveying this result to
you, Citizen Senators, so that you deliberate about
the approval of a law ordering the circulation of the
pierced gourde and that of the extracted piece of ½
31
Taken from Pradine, Linstant: “Recueil Général des Lois et Actes du Gouvernement d’Haiti depuis la
Proclamation de son Indépendance jusqu’a nos jours, Tome II: 1809-1817”, pages 102-103.
pièce d'un escalin et demi ou 13 centimes ½ qui en
est extraite. Je vous inviterai à calculer les mesures
que vous jugerez les plus convenables pour que cette
opération, qui a été imaginée pour fournir des
ressources à l'Etat, ne tourne point à son
désavantage.
C'est la dernière mesure de salut qui nous reste,
puisque, sans argent, la république ne peut se
soutenir, c'est une vérité de laquelle il faut se
pénétrer, d'après toutes les tentatives qui se font pour
opérer son renversement par les ennemis de la
liberté. C'est à vous. Citoyens Sénateurs, à presser
vos mesures. Vous me trouverez toujours prêt à
exécuter toutes celles qui tenteront à consolider le
bonheur du peuple.
escalin or 13 ½ centimes. I will invite you to
establish the methods that you will consider most
convenient so that this operation, imagined to
provide funds to the State, will not turn to its
disadvantage.
This is the last measure of salute that is left to us,
because, without circulating money, the Republic
cannot sustain itself; this is a truth that we must be
aware of, considering all the attempts being made by
the enemies of freedom to overthrow it. It correspond
to you, Citizen Senators, to press for these measures.
You will always find me ready to execute all the
measures that will attempt to consolidate the
people’s wellbeing.
Je vous prierai de reconnaître l'urgence de payer de
suite l'armée, et de mettre aucun délai dans la
décision que je réclame, afin que je puisse faire percer
l'argent qui se trouve au trésor avant d'effectuer ce
paiement.
I am begging you to recognize the urgency to
immediately pay the army, and thus not delay the
decision I am requesting, so that I am allowed to
proceed with the piercing of the silver contained in
the coffers of the public treasure to realize this
payment.
Je vous envoie une gourde percée et son morceau
pour votre inspection.
I am enclosing a pierced gourde and its removed
piece for you to inspect it.
J'ai l'honneur , etc.
I have the honor, etc...
Transcription and translation of the law of June 27, 181132:
o
o
N . 298.- Loi du 27 juin 1811 relative à la monnaie
qui aura cours dans la République.
N 298. Law of June 27 1811 relative to coinage that
will circulate in the Republic.
Prenant en considération les représentations qui leur
ont été faites par le Pouvoir Exécutif, relativement à
la disparition subite de gourdes et autres pièces de
monnaie ..., décrète ce qui suit:
Considering the expositions made by the Executive
Power, about the sudden disappearance of gourdes
and other coins ..., decrees as follows:
Article 1er.- La piastre gourde, circulant dans le pays
de onze escalins ou huit livres cinq sols, ainsi que
les demi et quart de gourdes seront percés au milieu
par une emporte-pièce qui sera de suite fabriqué sous
la surveillance des personnes proposées par le
gouvernement; jusqu’à concurrance de cent mille
gourdes seulement; la piastre gourde trouée
conservera toujours sa même valeur de onze escalins
ou huit livres cinq sols.
Article 1. The piastre gourde [coin of 8 Reales],
circulating in the country of 11 escalins or 8 livres 5
sols, and the half and quarter gourdes [respectively
coins of 4 and 2 Reales], will be pierced in the
middle with a punch that will be immediately
manufactured under the surveillance of persons
proposed by the government; only up to a maximum
amount of 100000 gourdes; the pierced piastre
gourde will keep its value of onze escalins or 8 livres
5 sols.
Article 2.- Les écus de six francs ou de douze
escalins et les pièces de cent sols ou de dix escalins
seront également percées et circuleront pour leur
même valeur, c’est-à dire, l’écu pour douze escalins,
et la pièce de cent sols, pour dix escalins.
Article 2. The ecus of 6 Francs or 12 escalins, and
the coins of 100 sols or 10 escalins will also be
pierced and will retain their circulating value, the ecu
for 12 escalins and the coin of 100 sols for 10m
escalins.
Article 3.- Les pièces extraites des dites monnaies, et
dans les proportions suivantes circuleront pour leur
échange de la manière suivante:
Article 3. The extracted pieces of said coins, in the
following proportions, will circulate in the following
manner:
- Celle extraite de la gourde vaudra deux escalins ou
dix-huit centimes.
- Celle de la demi-gourde, un escalin ou neuf
centimes.
- Celle du quart de la gourde, un demi escalin ou
quatre centimes et demi.
- Celle extraite de l’écu de six francs, de deux
escalins et demi ou vingt deux centimes et demi;
- Celle de la pièce de cent sols, d’ un escalin et demi
ou treize centimes et demi.
Lesquelles pièces trouées, ainsi que les petites
monnaies extraites seront marquees, d’un côté d’un
32
-
the piece extracted from the gourde will be
worth 2 escalins or 18 centimes.
that extracted from the half gourde, 1 escalin
or 9 centimes.
that from the quarter gourde, a ½ escalin or 4
½ centimes.
that extracted from the ecu of 6 Francs, 2 ½
escalins or 22 ½ centimes.
that from the coin of 100 sols, 1 ½ escalins,
or 13 ½ centimes.
The mentioned pierced coins, and the small
extracted coins will be marked, the former with a
punch [counterstamp] that the government will
designate, and the latter with the value of said coin.
Article 4. the gold coins will retain their value; the
quadruple [doubloon or 8 Escudos], previously
Taken from Pradine, Linstant: “Recueil Général des Lois et Actes du Gouvernement d’Haiti depuis la
Proclamation de son Indépendance jusqu’a nos jours, Tome II: 1809-1817”, pages 102-106.
poinçon que le gouvernement désignera, et de l’autre
coté le prix de ladite monnaie.
Article 4.- Les pièces d’ or conserveront toujours
leur même valeur; le quadruple , déjà connu pour
seize gourdes, sera échangé pour dix-huit piastres
gourdes percées, ainsi proportionnellement aux
autres monnaies y relatives.
La portugaise sera échangée pour neuf desdites
gourdes percées, et les petites pièces d’ or qui ont du
rapport à la portugaise seront échangées au prorata de
leur valeur.
Article 5.- Tout particulier qui voudra jouir du
bénéfice de la présente loi pourra apporter les pièces
qui sont en sa possession au lieu que le
gouvernement désignera pour cette manufacture, et
pourra réclamer que ses pièces soient percées à son
profit, les deux tiers de la pièce enlevée seront au
profit de l’ Etat, et l’ autre tiers à celui du
propriétaire de la monnaie percée.
Article 6.- Tous fabricateurs de fausse monnaie
seront poursuivis criminellement par la voie des
tribunaux; toutes pièces contre-faites ou altérées
seront saisies et confisquées, savoir : la moitié au
profit de la République et l’autre moité au capteur ou
à celui qui dénoncera ce fait. Toutes personnes qui
seront munies de ces fausses pièces seront arrêtées et
punies suivant l’urgence du cas, et payeront pour la
première fois une amende de cent gourdes, et du
double en cas de récidive.
Article 7.- Il est expressément ordonné à tous les
particuliers généralement quelconques, qui habitent
le territoire de la République, de prendre et de
reconnaître pour bonnes et valables les pièces percées
et celles extraites qui seront converties en petites
monnaie, pour la valeur ci-dessus fixée; ....
A la Maison Nationale, au Port-au-Prince, le 27 juin
1811, an VIII.
Signé : Leroux, Président, Neptune; Secrétaire.
known as equivalent to 16 gourdes [unpierced, of
course], will be exchanged for 18 pierced gourdes, or
in proportion when exchanged with other pierced
coins.
The Portuguese will be exchanged for 9 of said
pierced gourdes, and the smaller gold coins that are
in proportion with the Portuguese will be exchanged
in proportion with their value.
Article 5. Every particular that desires to benefit from
the present law will be able to bring the coins in his
possession to the place that the government will
designate for the manufacture, and request that his
coins be pierced to his profit; 2/3 of the extracted
piece will be to the profit of the State, and the other
1/3 to the profit of the propietary of the pierced coin.
Article 6. All the fabricators of false coinage will be
criminally pursued through the courts; all counterfeit
or altered coins will be confiscated: one half to the
profit of the Republic, and the other half to the captor
of the counterfeiter or the denouncer of the
counterfeit.
All persons carrying these false coins will be arrested
and punished in accordance with the urgency of the
case, and will pay a penalty of 100 gourdes the first
time, and double that amount should they recidivate.
Article 7. It is expressively ordered to every
particular habitant of the Republic, to accept and
recognize as good and valuables the pierced coins
and the ones extracted who will be converted in
small coins, for the value hereby fixed; ...
At the National House, Port-au-Prince, June 27,
1811, year VIII.
Signed: Leroux, President; Neptune, Secretary.
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Edward Roehrs” (September 28, 2010 auction).
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