Has anyone read "Counterfeiting in Colonial America" by Kenneth Scott?

Longacre

This looks like an interesting book, but I am not sure how good it is. It seems to be part of a "series" by the same author. The author seems to have written "Counterfeiting in Colonial Connecticut", "... in Colonial Pennsylvania", etc. Has anybody read any of these books? How accurate are they from a numismatic perspective?

Conder101

I keep seeing those books and I think about picking them up, but I have never done it.

ziggy29

'Tis DEATH to counterfeit!

Longacre

I visited the Old Newgate Prison and Simsbury Copper Mine last week in CT, and they had a display about colonial punishments. For counterfeiting, the person got 3 three lashes. I think the book would be interesting, but I am not sure how good the books are.

DaveG

You could borrow the books from the ANA library, you know.

Longacre

<< <i>You could borrow the books from the ANA library, you know. >>




Never thought of that. I didn't even check.

DaveG

Happy to be of service!


Many people think that the ability to borrow from the library (for just the cost of postage) is one of the best benefits of being a member of the ANA.

Gemini

This book deals with mainly the early history of the 13 colonies from the time when wampum was counterfeited and goes right up to the Revolution when the British Government and the Tories tried to depreciate and undermine the national economy by counterfeiting colonial notes. Colorful characters are written about such as Owen Sullivan and the Dover Money Club, Samuel Weed and the Derby Gang, Abel Buel, Samuel Ford and the Morristown Gang, Thomas Mellanchamp in the South, and three women : Freelove Lippencott, Ann Lockwood, and Mary Peck Butterwoth. Interesting case histories that reads like a detective story and the counterfeiters are described along with their punishment. Illustrations are (12)

Some of the chapter titles are: Wampum, Boston money and foreign coin- Money Makers- Counterfeits from Great Britain and Ireland- counterfeiting in the Southern Provinces- John Potter and the Rhode Island Gang- Jersey counterfeiters- Silversmiths as counterfeiters-John Bull turns counterfeiter.

Another book on the subject is Counterfeiting In America by Lynn Glasser which starts at colonial days and goes up to modern times. Some of the chapters are: Our Colonial Counterfeiters- Counterfeit Greats- The British Lion Tries His Hand- Heyday- Bungtowns and the Birth of the One-Cent Piece- How Counterfeits Were Made- counterfeiting in the C.S.A.- the Secret Service-The Twentieth Century- World War 11 and the Cold War- Counterfeiting Today.

michael

it is excellent and superb and also timely and accurate

pm me if you want to buy an original copy longacre

lordmarcovan

Was this something published in the 1950s? 'Cause I seem to remember checking a book of that title out of the public library a while back. An OLD book, as are many of the library's numismatic titles.

Gemini

<< <i>Was this something published in the 1950s? 'Cause I seem to remember checking a book of that title out of the public library a while back. An OLD book, as are many of the library's numismatic titles. >>

LM It was published in 1957 by the Oxford University Press.

Longacre

Thanks!

novacaesarea

Longacre,

I am sure you know this, but the Simsbury Mines is where John Higley allegedly made the extremely rare and collectible Higley Coppers. While there is no definitive proof of this, and he certainly wasn't a drunken blacksmith who paid his bar tab with them (as legend goes), I personally beleive he did make them or had them made there.

Also, try "Clip a Bright Guinea" by John Marsh for another good read on the lives and deaths of 18th Century counterfeiters.

novacaesarea

Longacre

<< <i>Longacre,

I am sure you know this, but the Simsbury Mines is where John Higley allegedly made the extremely rare and collectible Higley Coppers. While there is no definitive proof of this, and he certainly wasn't a drunken blacksmith who paid his bar tab with them (as legend goes), I personally beleive he did make them or had them made there.

Also, try "Clip a Bright Guinea" by John Marsh for another good read on the lives and deaths of 18th Century counterfeiters.

novacaesarea >>




Thanks! Yes, I knew about the Higley coppers. I even bought one at the mine which had a cool counterstamp with the letters c-o-p-y on it. I think it's pretty rare. It cost me $2.

lordmarcovan

I need to go and check that out again at the library. I didn't get time to read very much of it the last time, but what I did read was interesting.