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Undiscovered (but documented) Colonial Coins
coachbedford
Posts: 189
In a Colin Calloway's book on Native American contact with European cultures, I found this nugget: "In 1695 two Apalachees living near St. Augustine, were arrested for counterfeiting Spanish coins out of tin." Man, would I like to find one of THOSE! I assume they were counterfeiting the silver Spanish coins, but maybe it was the copper coins.
But y'know, I have a Spanish 4 maravedis that I have often wondered if it was counterfeit. The lion on it looks like an alligator (hence I always wondered it it was counterfeited in Florida!) But my piece is made of copper.
But y'know, I have a Spanish 4 maravedis that I have often wondered if it was counterfeit. The lion on it looks like an alligator (hence I always wondered it it was counterfeited in Florida!) But my piece is made of copper.
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Interesting. Got any pics?
Too many positive BST transactions with too many members to list.
<< <i>In a Colin Calloway's book on Native American contact with European cultures, I found this nugget: "In 1695 two Apalachees living near St. Augustine, were arrested for counterfeiting Spanish coins out of tin." Man, would I like to find one of THOSE! I assume they were counterfeiting the silver Spanish coins, but maybe it was the copper coins.
But y'know, I have a Spanish 4 maravedis that I have often wondered if it was counterfeit. The lion on it looks like an alligator (hence I always wondered it it was counterfeited in Florida!) But my piece is made of copper. >>
Kind of a stretch calling it a colonial coin, since it is just a counterfeit of an unknown Spanish or Spanish-American coin.
But Dan, I will try and take you up on your offer once I track down the pic of my "Alligator" 4 maravedis
<< <i>yes but haven't had any luck posting pics on here in the last year or so....someone said it now requires photobuckets(???) or something like that. Last time someone had to post the pics on my behalf. >>
Go to photobucket.com and register. You can upload your images and then post them here afterwards.
<< <i>I assume they were counterfeiting the silver Spanish coins, but maybe it was the copper coins. >>
Given that tin is significantly more expensive than copper (and silver in color), they would have been counterfeiting silver coins.
<< <i>Actually far more of a Colonial coin than the lion's share of coins listed as "Colonials"-- unlike most of those, these counterfeits were struck IN Colonial America DURING the Colonial period.
But Dan, I will try and take you up on your offer once I track down the pic of my "Alligator" 4 maravedis >>
Those pieces generally have some sort of a distinctive design. This sounds like a counterfeit of a common circulating piece.
By the way, I highly doubt that they would have been "struck." That requires a certain amount of equipment. Casting was much easier.
The best known colonial American pieces that were made of tin were the American Plantations Coins that were first issued in 1688 (page 41 in the 2013 Red Book). Most of the survivors have "tin pest."
<< <i>If they were counterfeiting their coins in tin, chances are none of those pieces have survived. Tin is a very reactive metal, and a problem known as "tin pest" has long plagued pieces that were made of it. Once it starts "tin pest" (corrosion) is irreversible and in the opinion of many observers unstoppable.
The best known colonial American pieces that were made of tin were the American Plantations Coins that were first issued in 1688 (page 41 in the 2013 Red Book). Most of the survivors have "tin pest." >>
Here is one such tin piece:
PCGS AU58: