# Canada Gazette/Volume I/No. 53/Gold Coins of Sidney Mint made a Legal Tender

GOLD COINS OF SYDNEY MINT MADE A LEGAL TENDER.
THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM TO LORD MONCK.
    CANADA.
       Separate.
DOWNING STREET,
25th, May, 1868.
My Lord,
With reference to your despatch No. 200, 24th November, 1866, I have the honor to transmit to you the accompanying copies of an order of Her Majesty in Council and of a Proclamation for declaring the Gold Coins of the Sydney Mint, a legal tender in those of Her Majesty's possessions abroad which are specified in the schedule annexed to the Proclamation.
You will be so good as to cause this Proclamation to be published in Canada, in the most authentic manner.
A similar Order in Council was passed on the 10th of November 1866, for making these coins a legal tender in the Colonies mentioned below:
| Antigua, | Malta, |
| Barbadoes, | Montserrat, |
| Bahamas, | Nevis, |
| Bermuda, | Natal, |
| Cape of Good Hope, | St. Helena, |
| British Columbia, | Sierra Leone, |
| Dominica, | St. Vincent, |
| Falkland Islands, | St. Christopher and its dependencies. |
| Gold Coast, | St. Christopher and its dependencies. |
| Gambia, | St. Lucia, |
| Gibraltar, | Trinidad, |
| British Guiana, | Tobago, |
| Granada, | Turks and Caicos Islands, |
| Honduras, | Vancouver Island, |
| Jamaica, | Virgin Islands. |
| Lagos, |
I have &c.,
(Sd.) BUCKINGHAM CHANDOS.
Governor,
    The Right Honble.
       Viscount Monck.
          &c., &c., &c.
AT THE, COURT AT WINDSOR,
The 14th day of May, 1868.
PRESENT :
THE QUEEN'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY IN COUNCIL.
Whereas there was read this day at the Board the Draft of a Proclamation declaring Gold Coins made at the Branch of the Royal Mint at Sydney, New South Wales, a legal tender in certain of Her Majesty's Possessions abroad, specified in a Schedule attached to the said Draft Proclamation.
Her Majesty having taken the same into consideration, was pleased by and with the advice of Her Privy Council, to approve thereof, and to order, and it is hereby ordered, that the said Proclamation do take effect and come into force in each of Her Majesty's Possessions abroad, specified in the aforesaid Schedule, upon and from and after such day, as shall be for that purpose limited, by the Governor or Officer Administering the Government of each of the said Possessions by any Proclamations to be by them for that purpose respectively issued in each of such Possessions.
And the Most Noble the Duke of Buckingham, and Chandos, one of Her Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State, is to give the necessary directions for causing publication to be made hereof within Her Majesty's said Possessions abroad.
(Signed,) ARTHUR HELPS.
Draft Proclamation referred to in the foregoing Order in Council.
BY THE QUEEN.
A Proclamation for declaring Gold Coins made at the Branch Mint at Sydney, New South Wales, a legal tender throughout such parts of Her Majesty's dominions as are specified in the schedule hereunto annexed.
Whereas, by an Order in Council, bearing date the Nineteenth day of August, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Fifty-three, we have thought fit to order that a Branch of Our Royal Mint, should be established at or near Sydney, in New South Wales.
And whereas in the Eighteenth year of Our Reign, by an Order in Council, dated the Eighteenth day of October; One Thousand Eight Hundred and Fifty-four, we have thought fit to order that certain pieces of Gold Money should be coined at the said Branch of Our Royal Mint, to be called respectrvely Australian Sovereigns and Australian Half Sovereigns, and to be of the same respective weights, ​fineness and values with the Sovereigns and Half Sovereigns now current within this Our Realm.
And whereas, pursuant to and in virtue of the powers given in our said Orders in Council, it is provided that a Coinage of the said Australian Sovereigns and Half Sovereigns shall be made, and that every such Australian Sovereign shall have for the obverse Our Effigy, with the inscription, "Victoria D. G., Brittanniar Regina F. D.," and the date of the year, and for the reverse the word "Australia" placed in the centre of piece encircled by a laurel wreath and surmounted by the Royal Crown with the inscription "Sydney Mint, One Sovereign," and with a graining on the edge, and that every such Australian Half Sovereign shall have the obverse in every respect similar to that of the Sovereign, and for the reverse the same word, "Australia," in the centre encircled and surmounted in like manner, but for the inscription the words "Sydney Mint, Half Sovereign," and a graining on the edge.
And whereas, pieces of Gold Money have been and will be coined at our said Branch of the Royal Mint in pursuance of orders issued and to be issued.
And whereas, by an Act passed in the Twenty-ninth and Thirtieth years of Our Reign, entitled : "An Act to enable Her Majesty to declare Gold Coins to be issued from Her Majesty's Colonial Branch Mints a Legal Tender for payments, and for other purposes relating thereto," it is provided that "It shall be lawful for Her Majesty, from time to time, by Proclamation issued with the advice of Her Privy Council to declare that for such period, and subject to such conditions as may be specified in such Proclamation, Gold Coins made at such Colonial Branch Mint, of designs approved by Her Majesty, and being of the same weight and fineness as are required by law with respect to Gold Coins of the same denominations made at Her Majesty's Mint in London, are to be a legal tender for payments within any part of Her Majesty's Dominions to be specified in such Proclamations, in which Gold Coins issued from Her Majesty's Mint in London shall at the date of the issue of such Proclamation be a legal tender, and upon such Proclamation being issued Gold Coins made of such designs and being of such weight and fineness as aforesaid, shall be a legal tender for payments accordingly."
And Whereas Gold Coins issued from Our Royal Mint in London are at present a legal tender in such parts of Our Dominions as are specified in the Schedule hereunto annexed.
We Therefore, by and with the advice of Our Privy Council, have thought fit to issue this Our Royal Proclamation, and We do ordain, declare and command, that from and after the date of the publication of this Our Proclamation by the Governor or other officer Administering the Government of such part or parts of Our Dominions as are specified in the Schedule hereunto annexed, Coins made at the said Branch Mint, of designs approved by Us at Sydney aforesaid, and being of the same weight and fineness as are required by Law, with respect to Gold Coins of the same denominations made at Our Mint in London, shall be a legal tender for payments within such part or parts of Our Dominions, as are specified in the said Schedule, until such period as this Our Proclamation shall be revoked, by and with the advice of Our Privy Council aforesaid.
Given at Our Court at Windsor, this fourteenth day of May, 1868.
GOD SAVE THE QUEEN.
Schedule of Her Majesty's Possessions abroad referred to in the Order in Council, dated 14th day of May, 1868, and in the Draft Proclamation, the issue of which is ordered by the said Order in Council.
       CANADA,
       PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND,
       NEWFOUNDLAND.