Editing Isaac Newton (section)

=== Knighthood ===
In April 1705, Queen Anne [[Knight Bachelor|knighted]] Newton during a royal visit to Trinity College, Cambridge. The knighthood is likely to have been motivated by political considerations connected with the [[1705 English general election|parliamentary election in May 1705]], rather than any recognition of Newton's scientific work or services as Master of the Mint.<ref>"The Queen's 'great Assistance' to Newton's election was his knighting, an honor bestowed not for his contributions to science, nor for his service at the Mint, but for the greater glory of party politics in the election of 1705." {{harvnb|Westfall|1994|p=245}}</ref> Newton was the second scientist to be knighted, after [[Francis Bacon]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=This Month in Physics History |url=https://www.aps.org/archives/publications/apsnews/201103/physicshistory.cfm |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=www.aps.org |language=en}}</ref>

As a result of a report written by Newton on 21 September 1717 to the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury, the bimetallic relationship between gold coins and silver coins was changed by royal proclamation on 22 December 1717, forbidding the exchange of gold guineas for more than 21&nbsp;silver shillings.<ref>[http://www.pierre-marteau.com/editions/1701-25-mint-reports/report-1717-09-25.html ''On the Value of Gold and Silver in European Currencies and the Consequences on the Worldwide Gold- and Silver-Trade''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170406191205/http://www.pierre-marteau.com/editions/1701-25-mint-reports/report-1717-09-25.html |date=6 April 2017 }}, Sir Isaac Newton, 21 September 1717; [https://archive.org/details/numismaticser1v05royauoft "By The King, A Proclamation Declaring the Rates at which Gold shall be current in Payments"]. ''Royal Numismatic Society''. '''V'''. April 1842&nbsp;– January 1843.</ref> This inadvertently resulted in a silver shortage as silver coins were used to pay for imports, while exports were paid for in gold, effectively moving Britain from the [[silver standard]] to its first [[gold standard]]. It is a matter of debate as to whether he intended to do this or not.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Fay |first=C.&nbsp;R. |date=1 January 1935 |title=Newton and the Gold Standard |journal=Cambridge Historical Journal |volume=5 |issue=1 |pages=109–17 |doi=10.1017/S1474691300001256 |jstor=3020836}}</ref> It has been argued that Newton viewed his work at the Mint as a continuation of his alchemical work.<ref>{{Cite news |date=12 September 2006 |title=Sir Isaac Newton's Unpublished Manuscripts Explain Connections He Made Between Alchemy and Economics |publisher=Georgia Tech Research News |url=http://gtresearchnews.gatech.edu/newsrelease/newton.htm |url-status=dead |access-date=30 July 2014 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130217100410/http://gtresearchnews.gatech.edu/newsrelease/newton.htm |archive-date=17 February 2013}}</ref>

Newton was invested in the [[South Sea Company]] and lost at least £10,000, and plausibly more than £20,000 (£4.4&nbsp;million in 2020<ref>Eric W. Nye, [https://www.uwyo.edu/numimage/currency.htm Pounds Sterling to Dollars: Historical Conversion of Currency] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210815124946/https://www.uwyo.edu/numimage/Currency.htm |date=15 August 2021 }}. Retrieved: 5 October 2020</ref>) when it collapsed in around 1720. Since he was already rich before the bubble, he still died rich, at estate value around £30,000.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Odlyzko |first=Andrew |date=2019-03-20 |title=Newton's financial misadventures in the South Sea Bubble |url=https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsnr.2018.0018 |journal=Notes and Records: The Royal Society Journal of the History of Science |language=en |volume=73 |issue=1 |pages=29–59 |doi=10.1098/rsnr.2018.0018 |issn=0035-9149}}</ref>

Toward the end of his life, Newton took up residence at [[Cranbury Park]], near [[Winchester]], with his niece and her husband, until his death.<ref name="Yonge6">{{Cite web |last=Yonge |first=Charlotte&nbsp;M. |author-link=Charlotte M. Yonge |year=1898 |title=Cranbury and Brambridge |url=http://www.online-literature.com/charlotte-yonge/john-keble/6/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081208223436/http://www.online-literature.com/charlotte-yonge/john-keble/6/ |archive-date=8 December 2008 |access-date=23 September 2009 |website=[[John Keble]]'s Parishes&nbsp;– Chapter 6 |publisher=online-literature.com}}</ref> His half-niece, [[Catherine Barton]],{{sfn|Westfall|1980|p=44}} served as his hostess in social affairs at his house on [[Jermyn Street]] in London; he was her "very loving Uncle",{{sfn|Westfall|1980|p=595}} according to his letter to her when she was recovering from [[smallpox]].