Coins that Circulated in Early America: A Numismatic Visit to Colonial Williamsburg (lots of pictur

MidLifeCrisis

While searching through some files on my computer, I found some pictures I took of the “Pounds, Pence and Pistareens: The Coins and Currency of Colonial America” collection during a visit to Colonial Williamsburg a couple of years ago. I'd like to share them with you.

There are some great online resources through which you can learn about and view the collection. This is a good one.

But visiting Colonial Williamsburg and seeing the collection in person is best.

Dentuck

Well done! Thank you for sharing this educational and well-illustrated post.

CBJesse

Thank you for the educational and interesting post.

RYK

Great post.

Please make a list of the coins that need to be considered for the Complete Williamsburg collections and also the Williamsburg Box of 20. Maybe John K can help with this, too.

Elcontador

My parents took the family on a road trip to see the historical USA when I was fifteen. We visited Sturbridge Village MA, Boston. Salem, etc., Philadelphia, Washington D.C., and Williamsburg, among other places. It was a fascinating and educational experience. I recommend the experience for any of you that have relatively young and impressionable children.

Sonorandesertrat

I strongly recommend the Colonial Americana course that John Kraljevich and Erik Goldstein teach at the ANA Summer Seminar in Colorado Springs each year. There are actually two courses, given in alternate summers. The part I took covered foreign coins that circulated in the colonial period, tokens, medals (especially those with Betts numbers), and paper. Additional topics included Indian trade items, antique scales, Spanish colonial ingots, exchange rates in the various colonies, etc.

Concerning the Colonial Williamsburg numismatic collection, Erik is the curator. He has recommended the following Colonial Williamsburg exhibition catalog:
Lasser JR, Greve GG, Pittman WE & Caramia Jr JA/"The Coins of Colonial America: World
Trade Coins of the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries"

ranshdow

Awesome. Is that an EB punch on the Johannes of Portugal?

MidLifeCrisis

<< <i>I strongly recommend the Colonial Americana course that John Kraljevich and Erik Goldstein teach at the ANA Summer Seminar in Colorado Springs each year. There are actually two courses, given in alternate summers. The part I took covered foreign coins that circulated in the colonial period, tokens, medals (especially those with Betts numbers), and paper. Additional topics included Indian trade items, antique scales, Spanish colonial ingots, exchange rates in the various colonies, etc.

Concerning the Colonial Williamsburg numismatic collection, Erik is the curator. He has recommended the following Colonial Williamsburg exhibition catalog:
Lasser JR, Greve GG, Pittman WE & Caramia Jr JA/"The Coins of Colonial America: World
Trade Coins of the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries" >>


I attended a version of the Colonial Americana course that John K. and Erik G. taught at the Baltimore ANA a few years ago. It was great. I need to get a copy of that exhibition catalog.

SethChandler

Great post, the Black Dogg is wayyyy cool.

MidLifeCrisis

Ya know, it took longer for me to post those pictures than it did for this thread to sink to the bottom, so...

RYK

I was waiting for the follow-up post in which you provide a list of all of the items required to make a similar set.

Still waiting...

MidLifeCrisis

<< <i>I was waiting for the follow-up post in which you provide a list of all of the items required to make a similar set.

Still waiting...

>>


Me too.

EagleEye

The display has John Kraljevich and Erik Goldstein's fingerprints all over it. It sure sounds like one or both of them wrote it.

coachbedford

I remember traveling to Colonial Williamsburg in 2004 and was really psyched to see a display of coins-- but when I got there it was either not up yet or on temporary hiatus. Arrrrrggggh. I had to content myself with displays of china plates and kitchen ware. Arrrrrrggh.

I have always been curious if Plymouth, MA has any kind of coin collection-- pieces excavated from the 1620s period.

12voltman

Nice reminder for those of us who live nearby. I'm in Richmond which is about 45 minutes from Williamsburg. We ( my kids and wife mostly)have been to Busch Gardens probably 50 times with our locals passes but unless they've gone on a school field trip I don't think my kids have been to colonial Williamsburg. I'm feeling properly guilty now for that sad fact. Thank you for reminding me what we're missing.

guitarwes

Really neat history lesson. Thanks. Hope to make it up there one day.