Manuel Merino y Moreno, Corregidor Intendent, forbids the circulation of certain coins, Valladolid, 23 December 1811

Manuel Merino y Moreno corregidor intendente por S. M. de esta ciudad, y su provincia por disposición de las autoridades legitimas establecidas en la ciudad de Zacatecas capital de la provincia de su nombre se acuñó allí, desde febrero de este año, en que los insurgentes fueron arrojados de ella por las tropas del rey Nuestro Señor, moneda de plata doble, y menuda para ocurrir a las necesidades del Real Servicio y publicas = ignoro si continua labrándose en dicha ciudad la expresada moneda, conocida en ella, su provincia y colindantes, las de Nueva Galicia y Nueva Vizcaya, donde entiendo no sólo que ha circulado, y circula con el nombre de moneda provisional de Zacatecas, sino también que en el distrito de las tres socorren individualmente a las tropas reales con ella, y con la acuñada en la Real Casa de Moneda de México, sucediendo lo mismo con las del ejercito del centro, respecto a que la citada moneda provisional de Zacatecas tiene el peso, ley y valor que la que se amoneda en la capital del Reyno = Aunque así lo sabía por noticias particulares positivas adquiridas antes de mi llegada aquí en principios de junio del corriente año, pone fuera de toda duda este particular uno de los párrafos del Bando que hiso publicar en Zacatecas con fecha de 3 de mayo el Señor Gral. del ejército referido del centro Don Félix Calleja inserto en la gaceta del Gobierno de México de 14 del propio mes cuyo tenor es siguiente = ''A fin de no embarasar el giro, y negociaciones del comercio, declaro por valida, y corriente la moneda provisional que con esta expresión se acuñó en esta ciudad por disposición de las autoridades legitimas que existían en ella, mediante a la notoria falta de numerario, y al mayor valor que tiene dicha moneda respecto de la del cuño del Rey, que proporciona en todo tiempo su fácil recolección, entretanto que tranquilas las cosas se dictan las providencias convenientes sobre el particular de que esta dado cuenta al Excelentísimo Sr. Virrey de estos Reynos; con prevención de que esta franquicia debe entenderse únicamente respectiva a dicha moneda provisional; pero no a la que se acuñó por los insurgentes, pues toda la que exista de esta clase, que es bien conocida deberá recogerse con arreglo al art. 13 del Banda de 20 de marzo, depositándose en estas Reales Cajas con noticia de las cantidades que se entreguen, y personas que lo ejecuten para que a su tiempo recaiga la superior resolución que corresponda, y para que lleguen a noticia de todos estas declaraciones mando se publique por bando en esta Capital, y en todos los lugares del distrito de su intendencia para su exacta observancia” = El art. 13 del bando citado en el párrafo anterior e inserto en la propia Gaceta del Gobierno es el que sigue = "Todos los que hicieren moneda de cualesquiera especie acuñada por los insurgentes en Zacatecas, u otro punto del Reyno deberán presentarlas inmediatamente a los justicios respectivos o a las Reales Cajas del distrito en el parage que las hubiere, bajo la pena de ser tratados en caso de contravención, como monederos falsos = En consecuencia y habiendo entendido que desde que estuvo en Acambaro en el mes precedente el mismo ejército, se han introducido aquí alguna moneda de la sellada provisionalmente en Zacatecas, la cual se rehusan a recibir en el comercio, y giro correspondiente, ya sea porque se cre ser de menos peso, y ley que la que se acuña en México, ya por que se duda si se admitirá en las oficinas de Real Hacienda, y ya porque no hay providencia que prevenga corra esta providencia, a fin de remover los perjuicios que resultarían de la falta de su curse, y los que sufrirían las tropas, y los sujetos a quienes se ha hecho pago con ella en los parages donde estaba corriente su circulo; mando que corra en esta Provincia, hasta que recaiga providencia del Superior Gobierno, en la forma y términos mandados por el párrafo del Bando copiado en este; advirtiendo para conocimiento de todos que la moneda acuñada allí mismo por los insurgentes, y cuyo giro se prohibe, es conocida, y se distingue en que en el lugar que ocupan los leones en el escudo Real tiene una especie de nopal o ramo. Y para que llegue a noticia de todos mando asimismo se publique por bando, y se fije en los parajes acostumbrados de esta ciudad. Dado en Valladolid a 23 de diciembre de .1811. Manuel Merino [rubrica]. Por mandato de su señoría.

Manuel Merino y Moreno, Councilman and Intendent by H. M. of this town and its Province.
By Order of the Legitimate authorities established in the city of Zacatecas and capital of the Province of the same name, coins of 8 Reales and minor denominations [doble = 8 Reales, menuda = minor denominations from 2 Reales to ½ Real] were minted to cover the needs [the functioning costs] of the Royal and Public Service starting on February of this present year when the insurgent troops were expelled by the ones of H. M. our King.
I ignore whether this coinage is still being issued in that city but it is (well) known in it, its province, and the surrounding ones of Nueva Galicia and Nueva Viscaya. It is my understanding that it not only has circulated in those locales, and still does so under the name of Moneda Provisional de Zacatecas, but has also been used in the district formed by those three [provinces] to pay the Royal troops alongside with coins from the Mexico City Mint. The same is being done with the troops of the Ejercito del Centro, since the mentioned provisional coinage of Zacatecas has a weight, fineness and value similar to that which is minted in the capital of the Reyno [the aforementioned Mexico City Mint].
Although I had already been informed of this matter from private communications given to me before my arrival here at the beginning of June of the current year, such was confirmed beyond any doubt by a paragraph in the proclamation issued in Zacatecas on May 3 by the General of the aforementioned Ejercito del Centro don Felix Calleja and published in the Gaceta del Gobierno de Mexico on the 14th of that same month, which reads as follows:
“In order not to hinder the payments and trades in the commerce, I hereby declare as current and legal tender the provisional coinage which was minted in that city [of Zacatecas] under that (provisional) designation by disposition of the legitimate authorities that governed it due to the lack of circulating media and the fact that said coinage has a greater intrinsic value than the one with the bust of the King [meaning the one minted at the Mexico City Mint], meaning that its recalling will be easy at any time after the situation has calmed down and the corresponding dispositions on this matter are taken. All of this has been informed to the most excellent Viceroy of these Kingdoms. However, this authorization must be understood as concerning only the mentioned provisional coinage, and not the one issued by the insurgents since all of that coinage [of the insurgents] - which is well known - will have to be recalled in accordance with the article 13 of the Proclamation dated March 20 and deposited in these Reales Cajas with notice of the amounts that are being handed over and their owners so that in time, they are given the corresponding superior resolution. And in order for everyone to become aware of these dispositions, I order that it is proclaimed and published in this Capital, and in all of the locales of the district of its Intendancy, for its exact observance.”
The article 13 of the referred decree mentioned in the previous paragraph and included in the cited Gaceta del Gobierno, is as follows:
“All persons which possess coins of any denomination of those minted by the insurgents in Zacatecas or in another locale of the Kingdom, will present them immediately either to the corresponding authorities or the Reales Cajas in the district of the locale where said coins are in circulation. Those who fail to obey shall face the sentence given to counterfeiters.”
In consequence, and considering that some of the coinage provisionally minted in Zacatecas has been introduced here since the arrival at Acambaro of the aforementioned Ejercito [army] and it is being rejected in the local trade and payments because it is believed that its weight and fineness are inferior to those of the coinage from the Mexico Mint or because it is doubted whether it will be accepted in payments to the Royal Exchequer or because there is no [official] proclamation authorizing it,
In order to prevent the damages that would occur from preventing its circulation, and those which would be faced by the troops and those individuals who received payments in said coinage in the locales where its circulation had been authorized,
I order that it is accepted as legal tender in this Province until an ordinance is given by the Superior Government on this matter in the same form and terms as the paragraph from the decree that has been inserted in the present proclamation. (On the other hand), it is warned to everyone that the circulation of the coinage minted in that same locale [of Zacatecas] by the insurgents - which is well known and can be distinguished by the fact that it bears a kind of nopal or branch instead of lions in the Royal Coat of Arms – is hereby prohibited.
And in order for this disposition to be known to everyone, I order it to be proclaimed and published by Edict and that it is fixed in the customary places of this city.
Given in Valladolid on December 23, 1811
Manuel Merino. By mandate of His Honour.

Merino wrote to the Viceroy explaining his actions:

Excelentísimo Sr.
Habiéndose introducido aquí alguna moneda de la sellada provisionalmente de Zacatecas, y no hallándose prevenido cosa alguna sobre su giro, y curso me vi en la precisión de disponer corriere en estas provincias según manifiesta el Bando de que acompaño a V E. copia para su superior inteligencia ya fin de que se sirva aprobar mi providencia o comunicarme acerca del particular lo que fuere de su mayor agrado.
Para mandar corriere la expresada moneda provisional tuve en consideración que habiéndose introducido la tropa que esco1tó los atajos conductores de los equipages del ejército Real del Centro, despachados por su general el Sr. Don Félix Calleja como innecesarios, para Expedición de Zitácuaro, y a los de la plaza perteneciente a S. M. Y a particulares tanto la referida tropa, cuanto los arrieros verían socorridos con ella y que además traía alguna el encargado para continuar pagando a estos que no quería recibírseles en el giro corriente, sino con quebranto de una cuarta parte ó más de lo que representa, lo cual me pareció no ser justo.
Dios Valladolid 23 de diciembre de 1811. Excmo. Sr. Virrey
D. Fco. Javier Venegas.

Most Excellent Sire Viceroy D. Francisco Javier Venegas.
Most Excellent Sir:
After some coins of the provisional type that was minted in Zacatecas were introduced in this locale, and considering that no disposition had been given regarding its acceptance and circulation, I was forced to authorize its circulation by the proclamation of which I am enclosing a copy for your superior consideration in order to receive the approval of my providence, or any decision that you consider pertinent on the matter.
To [reach the decision to] authorize the mentioned coinage, I have taken into consideration that this coinage had been introduced by the troops that guarded the effects belonging to the Ejército Real del Centro, sent here by its General Don Felix Calleja when deemed unnecessary for the expedition to Zitacuaro, and also the effects from this locale that belonged to His Majesty and to particulars or the mentioned troops, and that the mule drivers would directly benefit from its circulation and acceptance since the man charged with the payment of these mule drivers had some of this coinage in his possession to make said payment, and that said coinage was not being accepted in circulation at face value but only with a penalty of 1/4th or more, which I considered to be unjust.