stalled, arguments erupted at butcher stands, and international merchants refused to accept English sterling abroad. The entire monetary engine was on the verge of grinding to an absolute halt.
“Tampering with the king’s coin was considered high treason, punishable by hanging or the stake, yet the rewards of clipping were so enticing that the gallows did little to deter the practice.”
Enter the Milled Edge: A Mechanical Trap for Thieves
Governments tried draconian punishments first. Caught clippers were executed without mercy, yet the illicit trade continued because the money was
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