mass. silver coins true or false?? also post your colonial mass. silver coins!!

[michael]

"Massachusetts silver coins are among the most historically important Colonial issues. Not only were they the first silver coins made within the continental United States, and the first international coins made within our national boundaries (circulating freely in Canada), they early became a cause célèbre, the occasion of the first major rebellion by any of the American colonies against British oppression, the beginning of that tradition of defiance that would later manifest itself in the 1722 parchment pence, the Boston Tea Party, the Sons of Liberty, and the Minutemen - a tradition focusing always on opposition to royal interference in the colonies internal affairs. No wonder, then, that these coins have remained in continuous collector demand for over a century.

Walter Breen

"Complete Encyclopedia of

U.S. and Colonial Coins" (1988

 

TRUE OR FALSE??

 

also post your massachusettes silver coins!!

 

[jesbroken]

I would agree with Breen as to this coin being first, but due to the reason of the coins being of lesser weight to prevent leaving the colonies became a bit of a slap at England by preventing their coinage standards becoming "coin of the realm" in the colonies, might also qualify it to be a "cause celebre ". JMO

Sorry but I do not own any Mass coins.

Jim

coins.nd.edu

 

Minting must have begun during the summer with the stamping of NE coinage. Clearly, a fair number of coins were in circulation by October as on October 19, 1652 the General Court issued an order revising the design of the coin to prevent trimming or clipping silver from the edge.

The Massachusetts Bay mint was the first, the most successful, and the longest running of all the colonial minting enterprises. The General Court established a standard of 72 grains of .925 fine sterling silver to the shilling, which represented a 22.5% reduction of the English standard of 92.9 grains per shilling. By minting coins of lesser weight it was hoped they would not be exported out of the Commonwealth. In England, the Boston shilling (as it was called) would be slightly over 22% lighter than the English counterpart and therefore would be valued at about 22% less than the English shilling. Thus, it would seem one was more likely to spend the coin in Massachusetts where it would be worth a shilling (12d) rather than to pay a shilling for it in Massachusetts and take it back to England where it would be worth only about 10d.

 

 

 

[DirtyGoldMan]

I purchased this coin in 2008 from CRO:

 

[BillJones]

TRUE!

 

The Massachusetts silver coinage was the first act of rebellion against British mercantilist policy. The British plan was to force their colonies trade only with England. The colonies were supposed to provide cheap raw materials and be consumers of British finished goods. One way to control the colonies was to not provide them with a circulating currency. If the colonists were forced to most live by barter they would be less likely to trade with countries other than England.

 

The hard working merchants and general population of the Massachusetts Bay Colony had other plans, however. They started to make their own money during the time of Cromwell. Their legal argument was that while the right to coin money was vested in the king, when Cromwell ruled there was not king. Therefore their actions were legal.

 

After the British monarchy was restored, Massachusetts continued to make and circulate coins in defiance of the king. All of the coins, except the two pence, were dated 1652 to make it seem that the coins were minted during Cromwell’s time. The British were aware of what the colonists were doing, but ignored it for 30 years.

 

I have two Mass. silver coins

 

Oak Tree Two Pence

 

 

And a small planchet Pine Tree Shilling

 

[michael]

I purchased this coin in 2008 from CRO:

 

 

sweet!

[michael]

TRUE!

 

The Massachusetts silver coinage was the first act of rebellion against British mercantilist policy. The British plan was to force their colonies trade only with England. The colonies were supposed to provide cheap raw materials and be consumers of British finished goods. One way to control the colonies was to not provide them with a circulating currency. If the colonists were forced to most live by barter they would be less likely to trade with countries other than England.

 

The hard working merchants and general population of the Massachusetts Bay Colony had other plans, however. They started to make their own money during the time of Cromwell. Their legal argument was that while the right to coin money was vested in the king, when Cromwell ruled there was not king. Therefore their actions were legal.

 

After the British monarchy was restored, Massachusetts continued to make and circulate coins in defiance of the king. All of the coins, except the two pence, were dated 1652 to make it seem that the coins were minted during Cromwell’s time. The British were aware of what the colonists were doing, but ignored it for 30 years.

 

I have two Mass. silver coins

 

Oak Tree Two Pence

 

 

And a small planchet Pine Tree Shilling

 

 

sweet!

[James_OldeTowne]

I used to own six and two-half (yes you read that correctly) Mass silver coins, but had to sell them off quite some time ago.

 

I agree with the Breen excerpt.

[physics-fan3.14]

If either of you ever get tired of those shillings, let me know and I will PM you my address. Wow, those are nice.