1749 - An Important Year in Colonial Numismatics
MidLifeCrisis
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During the first decades of the English colonization of North America the settlers needed to obtain their own small change. The only small change coins to gain general acceptance throughout the colonies were British coppers. Although British silver and gold coins were not allowed to be exported to the colonies, there was no restriction on the export of coppers.
The largest shipment of British coppers to be sent to the colonies arrived in Boston on the ship The Mermaid. The British parliament sent Massachusetts Bay almost twenty-one long tons of Spanish silver coins (653,000 troy ounces in 217 chests) as well as ten long tons of English coppers (in one hundred casks), in order to reimburse the Colony for the assistance it provided to the Lewisburg expedition on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, during the French and Indian War. According to the Massachusetts Currency Reform Act of January 26, 1749 the total reimbursement was equivalent to £183,649 2s7 and 1/2d in British sterling. The coppers included over 800,000 halfpence and more than 420,000 farthings all dated 1749; approximately thirty percent of the entire mintage for the year.
Although the shipment had long been expected, the space the coins took up was more than the colonists had anticipated. The ship arrived in Boston harbor on Monday September 18, 1749 and the commander of the Mermaid, Captain Montague, along with one of the colonies London agents, William Bollan, who had accompanied the shipment from England, went to the Governor's Board to inform them they could take possession of the funds. However, the shipment was so large there was no place to secure the coins. The records of the General Court states the situation unfolded as follows:
Voted, that Ezekiel Lewis & Samuel Danforth, Esquires go with Mr. Treasure Foye to his House in King's Street, & see if there be any convenient Place for Lodging the publick Money there, & treat with the Tenant about her Removal in Order to the Treasurer & his familys removing thither.
Mr. Lewis reported thereupon that the Committee had viewed the House (which they found well accommodated for receiving the said Money) & discoursed with the Tenant, who could by no Means be persuaded to remove out of it.
Voted thereupon, That a brick Arch be built in the Cellar of the House where the Treasurer now dwells for the Reception of the Province Money from on board his Majesty's Ship Mermaid as soon as may be, & that Samuel Danforth & Andrwe Oliver Esquire assist the Treasurer in the said Affair. (Crosby, p. 227; King's Street is now known as State Street)
Source: University of Notre Dame, Department of Special Collections at http://www.coins.nd.edu/ColCoin/ColCoinIntros/Br-Copper.intro.html
The largest shipment of British coppers to be sent to the colonies arrived in Boston on the ship The Mermaid. The British parliament sent Massachusetts Bay almost twenty-one long tons of Spanish silver coins (653,000 troy ounces in 217 chests) as well as ten long tons of English coppers (in one hundred casks), in order to reimburse the Colony for the assistance it provided to the Lewisburg expedition on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, during the French and Indian War. According to the Massachusetts Currency Reform Act of January 26, 1749 the total reimbursement was equivalent to £183,649 2s7 and 1/2d in British sterling. The coppers included over 800,000 halfpence and more than 420,000 farthings all dated 1749; approximately thirty percent of the entire mintage for the year.
Although the shipment had long been expected, the space the coins took up was more than the colonists had anticipated. The ship arrived in Boston harbor on Monday September 18, 1749 and the commander of the Mermaid, Captain Montague, along with one of the colonies London agents, William Bollan, who had accompanied the shipment from England, went to the Governor's Board to inform them they could take possession of the funds. However, the shipment was so large there was no place to secure the coins. The records of the General Court states the situation unfolded as follows:
Voted, that Ezekiel Lewis & Samuel Danforth, Esquires go with Mr. Treasure Foye to his House in King's Street, & see if there be any convenient Place for Lodging the publick Money there, & treat with the Tenant about her Removal in Order to the Treasurer & his familys removing thither.
Mr. Lewis reported thereupon that the Committee had viewed the House (which they found well accommodated for receiving the said Money) & discoursed with the Tenant, who could by no Means be persuaded to remove out of it.
Voted thereupon, That a brick Arch be built in the Cellar of the House where the Treasurer now dwells for the Reception of the Province Money from on board his Majesty's Ship Mermaid as soon as may be, & that Samuel Danforth & Andrwe Oliver Esquire assist the Treasurer in the said Affair. (Crosby, p. 227; King's Street is now known as State Street)
Source: University of Notre Dame, Department of Special Collections at http://www.coins.nd.edu/ColCoin/ColCoinIntros/Br-Copper.intro.html
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Comments
I give away money. I collect money.
I don’t love money . I do love the Lord God.
<< <i>Beautiful copper, MLC, and an informative history lesson.
+1
Looks right at home in your great set.
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
K
(I mourn the passing of the word thither.
<< <i>I like things you write yourself instead of cut & paste from the ND site, just sayin'... >>
I don't reinvent the wheel when I don't have to.
I did edit the write-up though.
The more qualities observed in a coin, the more desirable that coin becomes!
My Jefferson Nickel Collection