GUINEA, a gold coin, struck and current in Britain. The value or rate of guineas has varied: it was first struck on the footing of 20s.; by the scarcity of gold was afterwards advanced to 21s. 6d. but it is now sunk to 21s.
The pound weight troy of gold is cut into 44 parts
and a half; each part makes a guinea. This coin took its denomination guinea, because the gold, of which the first was struck, was brought from that part of Africa called Guinea; for this reason it likewise bore the impression of an elephant.