The Viscount of Jersey [Le Gros] favours me with the following
information:--
"In 1834 it was enacted that from the 1st October, in that year, English
money alone should be legal tender in the island, and that the pound
sterling should be considered equal to 26 _livres_, old French currency,
which was, up to the date above given, currency of the island.
"There being 20 _sous_ to the _livre_, and 20 _shillings_ to the_
pound_, a shilling became the equivalent of 26 _sous_. The value of the
Jersey penny, or _piece de deux sous_, therefore, became 1/13th of a
shilling, the half-penny, or sou, 1/26th of a shilling, and the
farthing, or _piece de deux liards_, 1/52nd of a shilling."
As regards the above, in plain English we may call a _livre_ a franc, a
_sou_ a half-penny, and a _liard_ a half-farthing, as current in Jersey.
Sir C. W. Fremantle, Deputy-Master of the Royal Mint, has most kindly
given me full particulars as to dates and amounts of actual supplies of
copper coins to Jersey; and the Viscount of Jersey has furnished me with
records of quantities ordered; thus collectors will now be able to
judge as to rarity of the different issues, and also to know for certain
when they may happen to meet with patterns or coins not sent to Jersey
for circulation.