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

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 impreffion of an elephant.