All sorts and conditions of small coins were formerly current in the
Channel Islands. These were almost entirely of French mintage. Even at
the present day, if at any ordinary shop in Jersey you take change in
coppers, you will probably find amongst them two or three French sous,
two or three Jersey pence or half-pence, an English penny or two, and
one or two coins of Spain or Italy, and, until lately, even perhaps one
of the numerous coins introduced by the Russian troops who were formerly
in Jersey.
At such public institutions as the main Post Office, none but English
and Jersey or Guernsey pence and half-pence are the coppers received or
given.
As regards gold and silver currency, none but English-struck coins are
usually fully current and tendered everywhere.
Le Quesne, at a footnote, page 263, writes:--"The average weight of a
Jersey quarter of wheat is 260 lbs. English. Compared to an English
quarter, the proportion is 13/24."
The Rev. G. E. Lee says:--"From the earliest times the quarter (Guernsey
measure or measures) of wheat has been the unit of currency here, the
value of the quarter being every year proclaimed by the Royal Court and
_affeure_ in terms of so many _livres_ and _sols tournois_.
The livre tournois is now held to be worth 1/14 of the Guernsey pound
sterling--_e.g._, in purchasing a property the contract will stipulate
the value (even at the present day) _in quarters of wheat_, generally
adding a proviso that the quarter payable is to be redeemed for L14
trs.--_i.e._, L1 Guernsey sterling. Fines imposed by the Court are
always expressed in livres, sols, and deniers tournois."