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Message:: [QUOTE="robp, post: 8639674, member: 96746"]According to contemporary writings, minting didn't begin at York until January 1642/3. It was intended to start earlier, as Charles had instructed Briot to set up a mint in May 1642 following his relocation to York on March 19th 1641/2, but Briot's equipment was confiscated off Scarborough whilst en-route to York in July requiring a replacement. Charles moved away from York on 16th August before raising his standard at Nottingham on the 22nd. With the previously large number of soldiers no longer in the city, there was no need to coin. All the Civil War coinages were struck to pay either resident garrisons or transient forces of Royalist troops, as the existing circulating coinage was adequate for normal circumstances. The first group to garrison York following the outbreak of hostilities was the Earl of Newcastle's forces which arrived in January 1642/3 to counter the Parliamentary forces of Fairfax. The mint was first used to generate payments for these soldiers, as the influx of approx. 10000 troops could not be paid from circulating funds. York was used as a base for the Royalists, but they spent much of the summer campaigning in Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. The final date for striking coins at York is uncertain, but reports indicate that for the final few months prior to its surrender, there was no silver to be had in the city. It therefore seems likely that the last major striking of coins was for Newcastle's troops who departed 28th January 1643/4. After that, the only likely source of plate was the £100 of plate sold in the following month according to Corporation records, but it's uncertain if this was coined, or simply paid in lieu of an existing debt. The mint was not mentioned in the Articles of Surrender, suggesting it was no longer operating. i.e. it was open for about a year.[/QUOTE]

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