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 ten years in
the beginning of the present century, and was, I am told, the first to
issue paper money (L1 notes) in Guernsey. It came to grief, however,
after this short time.
"There are descendants of Mr. Bishop still living in Guernsey.
"'Mon Plaisir' is the name of the family estate of the Guernsey family
of de Jersey, of which the partner in the Bank of that name was a
member.
"Bishop and de Jersey are two distinct family names, both belonging to
Guernsey."