Hôtel des Monnaies de Bordeaux
Item
Country
FR
Name of institution (English)
Gironde Departmental Archives
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
fra
Contact information: postal address
72 cours Balguerie-Stuttenberg, 33300 Bordeaux
Contact information: phone number
0033 (0)556996600
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
Reference number
10 B
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
Bordeaux Mint
Title (official language of the state)
Hôtel des Monnaies de Bordeaux
Language of title
fra
Creator / accumulator
Hôtel des Monnaies de Bordeaux (Bordeaux Mint)
Date note
1534/1790
Language(s)
fra
Extent
62 storage units
Type of material
Textual Material
Scope and content
The Hôtel des Monnaies de Bordeaux fonds comprises documentation related to the activity of this institution. Like many other Ancient Regime institutions, it functioned both as a mint and as a court, where monetary-related issues were tried.
The organisation of the fonds reflects the double function of this institution. It is possible to find collections such as "Édits, déclarations et arrêts concernant la monnaie" (edicts, declarations and decrees concerning the currency), and "Lettres de provisions et de réception de la monnaie de Bordeaux et des changeurs du ressort" (letters of provisions and receipt of the currency of Bordeaux and the money changers of its jurisdiction), among other documents related to its regular activity as a mint. Closer to its function as a court are other collections, such as "Arrêts de la cour des monnaies" (Judgments of the Court of Currencies) and "Registre des audiences de la monnaie" (Currency Hearings Registry).
Some of these documents relate to the Sephardic community in France, namely:
10 B 22/30, Registre des audiences de la monnaie, 1764-1767; April 4, 1767: contains information relating to David Sagré, identified as a Portuguese Jew, disclosing that he had a haberdashery shop in the Hôtel de la Bourse since 1754. Other documentation related to Sagré is in 10 B 23/4 (October 22, 1767), and 10 B 23/35 (September 5, 1769).
10 B 54/1, Dossiers de procédures, 1755-1757: includes criminal proceedings against Mendes Seiches (Seixas?) and David Nobles, both identified as Portuguese Jews, accused of having bought silverware and gold and silver stripes in contravention of an ordinance of February 23, 1753. They are both identified as jewellers living in Bordeaux.
The organisation of the fonds reflects the double function of this institution. It is possible to find collections such as "Édits, déclarations et arrêts concernant la monnaie" (edicts, declarations and decrees concerning the currency), and "Lettres de provisions et de réception de la monnaie de Bordeaux et des changeurs du ressort" (letters of provisions and receipt of the currency of Bordeaux and the money changers of its jurisdiction), among other documents related to its regular activity as a mint. Closer to its function as a court are other collections, such as "Arrêts de la cour des monnaies" (Judgments of the Court of Currencies) and "Registre des audiences de la monnaie" (Currency Hearings Registry).
Some of these documents relate to the Sephardic community in France, namely:
10 B 22/30, Registre des audiences de la monnaie, 1764-1767; April 4, 1767: contains information relating to David Sagré, identified as a Portuguese Jew, disclosing that he had a haberdashery shop in the Hôtel de la Bourse since 1754. Other documentation related to Sagré is in 10 B 23/4 (October 22, 1767), and 10 B 23/35 (September 5, 1769).
10 B 54/1, Dossiers de procédures, 1755-1757: includes criminal proceedings against Mendes Seiches (Seixas?) and David Nobles, both identified as Portuguese Jews, accused of having bought silverware and gold and silver stripes in contravention of an ordinance of February 23, 1753. They are both identified as jewellers living in Bordeaux.
Administrative / Biographical history
The Hôtel des Monnaies, also known as La Monnaie, is a term that applies to three different main uses: the building itself, the mint where money was coined, and the court and its jurisdiction. The latter was also called Chambre particulière de la Monnaie (literally, Private Chamber of the Mint).
The existence of coinage in Bordeaux is attested since the end of the 6th century. At the end of the 10th century, the count's coinage appeared and, in the following centuries, the coinage continued by different authorities, as it was common in medieval times.
It is known that the building was moved to Saint-Macaire in 1272 and did not return to Bordeaux until 1305. Then, the mayor and the jurists of the city granted a vacant lot to build a new mint. Later, in the 16th century, the workshop was reorganised and received new royal privileges.
The institution was closed in 1685 for a few years, partly because the premises were uninhabitable. They were rebuilt in the same place, at Place de l'Ombrière, around 1730. However, the construction certainly lacked basic conditions. It is known that, in 1755, a new building was needed, which was completed in 1759.
However, already in 1784, these new premises also needed repairs. Moreover, since the beginning of the Revolution, there had been talks to extinct provincial mints, such as that in Bordeaux, and, indeed, a law of January 25, 1794, left only the one in Paris working. However, a later law re-established eight mints, including the one in Bordeaux, which was transferred to a former seminary at rue du Palais Gallien.
In 1833, the suppression of all regional mints was decreed, but the intervention of Henri Fonfrède (1788–1841) saved it, although its activity was reduced. It was the only remaining provincial mint on January 32, 1878, when it was closed. It was thought to establish a high school for young girls in the Hotel but, on February 20, 1894, it became the Hotel des Postes instead.
In terms of jurisdiction, the "généraux maîtres" (general masters), who were officials with jurisdiction over provincial mints, appeared under King Philippe II (1165–1223). Until 1346, they were part of the Chambre des Comptes and formed a Chambre des Monnaies in 1358.
At a local level, the judicial body of each mint was composed of the "général provincial" (provincial general), two "juges-gardes" (judge-guards,) a "contrôleur contregarde" (guard), a "garde scel" (guard for the seal), an "avocat du Roi" (Royal lawyer), a "procureur" (prosecutor), a "greffier" (clerk) and two "huissiers" (bailiffs).
The Monnaie de Bordeaux was the court responsible for cases relating to matters concerning the manufacture of money. It trialled cases relating to the malpractices of the money changers, refiners, engravers, goldsmiths, haberdashers, jewellers, and furriers. Its jurisdiction extended over the territories of Bordeaux, Agen, Condom, Sarlat, and Périgueux.
In criminal matters, the crimes of "billonage" (alteration of cash), "petit billonage" (refusal to accept a coin for its value), and the manufacture, display, and distribution of counterfeit money were under its jurisdiction. In any circumstance, all sentences could be appealed to the "Cour des Monnaies de Paris" (Court of the Coins of Paris).
After the French Revolution, the role of the provincial mints became increasingly weaker or more strictly related to its function as a mint.
The existence of coinage in Bordeaux is attested since the end of the 6th century. At the end of the 10th century, the count's coinage appeared and, in the following centuries, the coinage continued by different authorities, as it was common in medieval times.
It is known that the building was moved to Saint-Macaire in 1272 and did not return to Bordeaux until 1305. Then, the mayor and the jurists of the city granted a vacant lot to build a new mint. Later, in the 16th century, the workshop was reorganised and received new royal privileges.
The institution was closed in 1685 for a few years, partly because the premises were uninhabitable. They were rebuilt in the same place, at Place de l'Ombrière, around 1730. However, the construction certainly lacked basic conditions. It is known that, in 1755, a new building was needed, which was completed in 1759.
However, already in 1784, these new premises also needed repairs. Moreover, since the beginning of the Revolution, there had been talks to extinct provincial mints, such as that in Bordeaux, and, indeed, a law of January 25, 1794, left only the one in Paris working. However, a later law re-established eight mints, including the one in Bordeaux, which was transferred to a former seminary at rue du Palais Gallien.
In 1833, the suppression of all regional mints was decreed, but the intervention of Henri Fonfrède (1788–1841) saved it, although its activity was reduced. It was the only remaining provincial mint on January 32, 1878, when it was closed. It was thought to establish a high school for young girls in the Hotel but, on February 20, 1894, it became the Hotel des Postes instead.
In terms of jurisdiction, the "généraux maîtres" (general masters), who were officials with jurisdiction over provincial mints, appeared under King Philippe II (1165–1223). Until 1346, they were part of the Chambre des Comptes and formed a Chambre des Monnaies in 1358.
At a local level, the judicial body of each mint was composed of the "général provincial" (provincial general), two "juges-gardes" (judge-guards,) a "contrôleur contregarde" (guard), a "garde scel" (guard for the seal), an "avocat du Roi" (Royal lawyer), a "procureur" (prosecutor), a "greffier" (clerk) and two "huissiers" (bailiffs).
The Monnaie de Bordeaux was the court responsible for cases relating to matters concerning the manufacture of money. It trialled cases relating to the malpractices of the money changers, refiners, engravers, goldsmiths, haberdashers, jewellers, and furriers. Its jurisdiction extended over the territories of Bordeaux, Agen, Condom, Sarlat, and Périgueux.
In criminal matters, the crimes of "billonage" (alteration of cash), "petit billonage" (refusal to accept a coin for its value), and the manufacture, display, and distribution of counterfeit money were under its jurisdiction. In any circumstance, all sentences could be appealed to the "Cour des Monnaies de Paris" (Court of the Coins of Paris).
After the French Revolution, the role of the provincial mints became increasingly weaker or more strictly related to its function as a mint.
Access points: locations
Access points: persons, families
Access points: corporate bodies
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
The fonds is organised by types of documents. Series are organised chronologically.
Finding aids
Cavignac, Jean. 1965. "Hôtel des monnaies de Bordeaux. Répertoire manuscrit". Includes alphabetical tables of names of subjects, places and persons (Typescript document available in the archive).
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Kevin Soares, 2023
Linked resources
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