ns of the English Colonies and Dependencies," by
Daniel F. Howorth, F.S.A., Scot. Published by Swan Sonnenschein & Co.,
Paternoster Square, 1890.

P. Briard, Esq., makes the following interesting communication
respecting the "Double" from information he obtained from Guernsey:--

"The present Guernsey "Double" owes its name to an ancient French coin
which became later the "Liard," and equals the 1/4th part of a sou. I
see, by an ordinance passed in the year 1763, the following clause:--

"'Que les paiements qui se firont en Liards de France ou Grand-Doubles
seront sur le pied de seulement de six Liards ou Grand-Doubles par sol
tournois.'

"By another ordinance of more than a century before--viz., in 1626--I
find these words: 'D'autant qu' a present, le pais estant rempli de
_Doubles_ apportis par les estrangers, plusieurs demeurent charges de
grande quantite d'iceux doubles qu'ils ne peuvent mettre ny debiter a
leur grande perte et dommage. A este ordonne que dormavent seul recevant
argent, ne sera tenu en prendre a plus de la valeur de deux sous par
escu sur l'argent qu'il recevra.'

"In the margin opposite this ordinance there is insertion of the words
'Doubles ou Liards,' thus showing decisively that with us in Guernsey a
Double was a Liard, and a Liard a Double. In France, however, in ancient
coinage a Liard was the fourth part of a Sou, and a Double intrinsically
held of slightly higher value. We have kept the value of the Double to
be the same as that of the Liard--that is to say, our Guernsey
half-penny is _quatre doubles_, and our penny _huit doubles_.'"

SILVER COUNTERMARKED GUERNSEY CROWN.

The only silver coin for Guernsey was the Spanish Dollar, overstruck or
countermarked as follows:--

_O_. BISHOP DE JERSEY & CO. = The arms of Guernsey within a double
circle.

_R._ BANK OF GUERNSEY, 1809 = TOKEN OF | FIVE | SHILLINGS, in three
lines--wreath of oak. Specimens of this countermarked coin are now
very rare. The one in the Leycester Sale, of June, 1888, lot 189,
sold, together with the Jersey 3s. Tokens, for L3 10s.; and a higher
price still has been more recently obtained.

Respecting this coin, the Viscount of Jersey [Le Gros] writes to me,
under date 21st September, 1893:--

"The firm of Bishop de Jersey & Co., who issued the token in question in
1809, carried on the business of bankers in Guernsey under the style of
"The Guernsey Bank." This Bank was in existence for about