William Chaloner | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1650 |
| Died | 22 March 1699 (aged 48–49) |
| Cause of death | Hanged on the gallows |
| Nationality | English |
| Occupation(s) | Counterfeiter, coin clipper, confidence trickster, quack doctor |
| Years active | 1690-1699 |
| Known for | Being proven guilty of high treason by Sir Isaac Newton, Master of the Royal Mint, for counterfeiting currency |
| Criminal status | Dead |
| Conviction(s) | High treason |
| Criminal penalty | Death penalty and disembowelment |
| Partner(s) | Patrick Coffey, Thomas Taylor, Joseph Gravener, Thomas Holloway (and his wife), Thomas Carter, Aubrey Price |
| Details | |
| Victims | Royal Mint |
William Chaloner (1650 – 22 March 1699)[1][2] was a serial counterfeit coiner and confidence trickster, who was imprisoned in Newgate Prison several times and eventually proven guilty of high treason by Sir Isaac Newton, Warden of the Royal Mint. He was hanged on the gallows at Tyburn on 22 March 1699.[1][3]
Chaloner grew up in a poor family in Warwickshire, but through a career in counterfeiting and con artistry attained great wealth, including a house in Knightsbridge. He started by forging "Birmingham Groats", then moved on to Guineas, French Pistoles, crowns and half-crowns, Banknotes and lottery tickets. At various times he also made and sold dildos and worked as a quack doctor, soothsayer, and sham anti-Jacobite "agent provocateur" to collect government rewards.[2][1][4] In Guzman Redivivus, a posthumous biography published anonymously in 1699, it was stated that "scorning the 'petty Rogueries of Tricking single Men', he aimed rather at 'imposing upon a whole Kingdom'.[3]
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