What were the coins of early colonial America?
percyb
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What were the coins that circulated, if any, in Massachusetts prior to the Oak Tree Shillings of 1652?
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The Boston Mint struck NE and Willow Tree issues before the Oak Trees -- but before that, there were still silver coins afoot.
The primary silver pieces appear to be of Latin American origin, though the Castine Deposit (Maine, ca. 1700) also included French coins -- likely from trade with Nouvelle France to the north -- and Dutch coins from interaction with Nieuw Amsterdam. English coins were what most settlers brought with them, but only those in their pockets would have ended up in Massachusetts, since exportation of English specie to the colonies was strictly forbidden. Since most people who went to Massachusetts were not well off, there was little English silver and gold there. The settlers at Jamestown brought more.
The productions of the Boston Mint were almost uniformly produced from melted-down Spanish American cobs.
Small change was scarce enough in this era that musketballs were made legal tender in 1637. Nails were legal tender in this era as well, but most debts were paid in "country pay," i.e. barter with chickens, corn, etc.
Betts medals, colonial coins, US Mint medals, foreign coins found in early America, and other numismatic Americana
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Actually, it looks like Pistareen has already given quite a thorough answer.
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K S
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Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
<< <i>Small change was scarce enough in this era that musketballs were made legal tender in 1637. Nails were legal tender in this era as well, but most debts were paid in "country pay," i.e. barter with chickens, corn, etc. >>
Are you saying that a comprehensive collection of early American coins should include a chicken, a nail and a musketball?
Nails were also a status symbol for the well off. The "wealthy" would have numerous nails on face of the main entry door(s) to indicate their prosperity.
<< <i>wampum & shiny beads.
K S >>
And shells of sorts I believe. But it was mentioned above that coins from Latin areas and French provinces north of Boston provided some coinage. I do believe that England exported goods though to Boston once the Massachusetts Bay Colony that was established by John Winthrop was launched. Pelts and furs and more were shipped to London and other British ports. I'm thinking something other than shells were exchanged...and shiny beads.
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<< <i>Small change was scarce enough in this era that musketballs were made legal tender in 1637. Nails were legal tender in this era as well, but most debts were paid in "country pay," i.e. barter with chickens, corn, etc. >>
Are you saying that a comprehensive collection of early American coins should include a chicken, a nail and a musketball? >>
Yes, a chicken that has been dead for at least 250 years. Do you have one in inventory for my type set?
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<< <i>
<< <i>Small change was scarce enough in this era that musketballs were made legal tender in 1637. Nails were legal tender in this era as well, but most debts were paid in "country pay," i.e. barter with chickens, corn, etc. >>
Are you saying that a comprehensive collection of early American coins should include a chicken, a nail and a musketball? >>
Yes, a chicken that has been dead for at least 250 years. Do you have one in inventory for my type set?
Judging from the looks of my refrigerator I very well might be able to help you out there Dirty Gold Man.
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<< <i>
<< <i>Small change was scarce enough in this era that musketballs were made legal tender in 1637. Nails were legal tender in this era as well, but most debts were paid in "country pay," i.e. barter with chickens, corn, etc. >>
Are you saying that a comprehensive collection of early American coins should include a chicken, a nail and a musketball? >>
Yes, a chicken that has been dead for at least 250 years. Do you have one in inventory for my type set?
Judging from the looks of my refrigerator I very well might be able to help you out there Dirty Gold Man.
Back then, the defacto currency was cow hides.
What is more amazing...300 years of Spanish occupation...folks that do in fact know what Gold is...and they never really explored the Sierra foothills very much. They stuck to the coast and the deserts, using the huge interior valley as a gigantic cow pasture.
<< <i>Are you saying that a comprehensive collection of early American coins should include a chicken, a nail and a musketball? >>
You may find this unsurprising, but my personal collection contains a hand-wrought colonial-era nail recovered from a barn in Massachusetts, a musketball from a colonial shipwreck, and receipts reflecting country pay for corn and livestock.
My landlord won't let me keep chickens, sadly, and storing a frozen one would ruin that whole empty-except-for-mayo-and-Diet-Coke aesthetic I'm going for in my fridge.
Betts medals, colonial coins, US Mint medals, foreign coins found in early America, and other numismatic Americana