Age of Expansion and Revolution: 1600-1800library.taylor.edu/dotAsset/a44b1176-39f2-4a8a-a7bd-28342602a05e.pdf · America were short of silver and gold coin. ... honor of the same

Artifact Catalog 1600AD – 1799AD: Fall 2007

1Archives Artifact Catalog: Age of Expansion and Revolution 1600-1799 1

To see items, call 998-5520 or email: [email protected]

Taylor University Archives

Artifact Catalog Age of Expansion and Revolution

1600 A.D. - 1799 A.D.

Hogge Shilling (copy)

1616

Region: Sommer Islands (now known as Bermuda)

Material: Originals: Bronze with a silver wash. This is a silver-colored metal alloy

Description: Early monies were difficult to come by in the New World. Most often, the

metal bullion that was extracted was sent straight home to the mother country to

assist in paying debts and enriching the treasury. In 1616, in a bid to help trade

on the Bermuda Islands, James I of England permitted a mint to open there to

make bronze currency for use one those islands only. Featuring a hog on the front

with the legend ―Sommer Islands‖ and a ship on the back, these coins were

crudely made, and rare today.

Edward Schramm Collection

New England Coinage (Copy)

1652

Region: Colonial America, New England

Material: Original: Silver

Description: During the Civil War and Commonwealth of England, the colonists of

America were short of silver and gold coin. Most of their economy was based on

barter, or using some unit of goods (generally tobacco) as currency. Due to the

confusion in the home country, the General Court of the Colonies ordered the first

metallic coins to be struck in the New World. These were never intended to go

abroad. These first shillings were simple silver coins to weigh 72 grains of fine




silver and stamped N.E. in the front (New England) and ―XII‖ on the back

(shillings were worth about twelve pence at the time). This coin was produced for

only a short time, as clipping and counterfeiting were easy to do. The legislature

ordered a new shilling with patterns made to stop these problems.


Willow Tree Schilling

1652-1659

Region: New England (Massachusetts)

Material: Silver

Description: Following the three-month tenure of the New England Shilling, the Willow

Tree Shilling was legislated by the Massachusetts General Court. On the Obverse

is featured a Willow Tree with the words ―Massachusetts in‖ and on the back was

the years 1652, the denomination (XII) and the legend New England An. Dom.

The year 1652 was used for the entire run of coins, regardless of year actually

minted. Our copy is very worn and hard to read and may be authentic.


Lord Baltimore Shilling (copy)

1658

Region: England, Maryland

Materials: Originals, sterling silver

Description: After re-asserting his rights as the governor and Lord Proprietor of

Maryland, George Calvert, Lord Baltimore, petitioned the new king Charles II to

give him all the rights of ―the Bishop of Durham‖ concerning his colony subject

to the approval of the populace. These ―rights‖ did not specifically mention nor

prohibit issuing coinage, but since issuing coins had been in the original Virginia

Charter, Lord Baltimore took that to mean he could too. His coins were minted at

the Tower of London Mint and were considerably less silver than the standard

English Pound of the time. They were of dubious legality because not only were

they less pure, and 30% lighter than the coins of similar worth in England, but

were ―illegally‖ shipped to the colonies (only copper monies were legally allowed

to be exported, not silver). However, the colonists gladly took these coins, and




were told they were not to leave Maryland. This copies are greatly worn, but you

can still see the profile of Lord Baltimore, and the personal seal of his family line

which is today seen in the Maryland State Flag


Oak Tree Shilling (Copy)

1660-1667

Region: Colonial America, Massachusetts

Material: Silver

Description: Following the re-instatement of the Monarchy in 1660, is suddenly became

illegal for the colonists to mint their own coins, by order of the new king, Charles

II. Undaunted, and knowing that they would never be sent the amount of coins

nor bullion that they needed for their own use, the colonists continued to print

coins, though they all bore the date 1652. Since there technically was no

monarchy in 1652, any coin printed during the commonwealth fell into a neat hole

that made them ―legal‖. But the colonists could not put Charles’ face on the coins

(which would prove the counterfeiting) so they put a new tree, the Oak, on the

face. Charles had supposedly hidden in an oak tree following the disastrous

Battle of Worchester in 1651, and when Charles was shown one of these coins in

1662, Sir Thomas Temple claimed that the colonists had put that tree there, in

honor of the same that had saved his Majesty’s life. Charles reputedly laughed

and called the colonists ―a parcel of honest dogs‖ rather than traitors—which they

were.


Pine Tree Shilling

1667-1682

Region: New England, Massachusetts

Material: Silver

Description: The pine tree shilling, bearing the loophole date 1652 like it’s sisters,

began to be minted around 1667. Minting of this series of coins ceased altogether




in 1682 because King Charles II began a serious investigation into allegations that

minting was ongoing.


The New England Shilling, Willow, Oak, and Pine Tree Shillings are all packaged

in presentation format

St. Patrick Coin (copy)

1681

Region: New England, New Jersey

Material: Silver

Description: Mark Newby (or Newbie) came to America around 1681 with a large

amount of these St. Patrick’s coins with him. The General Free Assembly of New

Jersey granted these coins legal tender status at the rate of a half-penny to replace

wampum as small change. These coins ended up being so useful and well-used

that they continued to show up in pocket change in New Jersey until the early 19th

century. It is unknown exactly when these coins were minted in Ireland, but

several similar varieties have been recovered from shipwrecks dated in the 1670s.


William III Treasury Warrant

1695, 4 March

Region: England

Material: Paper, encapsulated

Description: Treasury warrant signed by William III of England. Payment to be

dispersed to six people for various reasons: back salaries, gifts of various

amounts.

James DeWeerd Collection DW.1966.11




Only the two-pence coin is shown here. The one-pence (penny) coin in our collection is similar is design, but nearly

half-size)

Rosa Americana Coins (2 Pence, 1 Pence)

1723

Region: Colonial America

Material: Copper

Description: William Wood, an Englishman, managed to get a patent from the new king

George I of England to produce coins for the colonies. He was allowed to make

coins in pence, half-penny, penny, and two pence (penny) amounts. However,

due to several financial misfortunes, he was forced to mint coins much lighter

than originally intended. These coins were so light, that the colonists of

Massachusetts voted to actually print £500 in paper money, rather than accept

these coins. They were used, grudgingly perhaps by some colonists, and two of

these coins were recovered at Colonial Williamsburg digs. William Wood,

unable to make a profit with these coins, stopped making them a year later.


Higley or Granby Coppers (Copy)

1737

Region: Colonial America, Connecticut

Material: Copper

Description: Dr. Samuel Higley owned a copper mine in Granby Connecticut. The

copper in the mine was extraordinarily fine and pure, and most of it was shipped

to England. However, back in Connecticut, Dr. Higley became frustrated at the

scarcity of official coinage that he began to make his own. Though smaller and

lighter than similar coins of the same time period, they were pure copper rather

than an alloy. The original legend stated the coins were valued at ―three-pence‖.

Merchants and other people objected to the legend since Higley had not been

patented or licensed to create monies of any kind, that he changed the legend to

―Value me as you please‖ and on the Reverse ―I am Good Copper‖. Since the

economy was still based on a metals standard, these coins were valuable as units




of metal to be sold on the open market. (Higley did not give up however, for a

Roman Numeral ―III’ can be seen beneath the deer.) The copper that made up

these coins was so pure and widely sought that even as late as 1810 by goldsmiths

for use in alloying.


Royal Garrison Budget

ca. 1743-1754:

Region: England

Materials: Paper, encapsulated

Description: Budget for the Establishment of a garrison and governing body on

Gibraltar. Signed by King George II, Prime Minister Henry Pelham and Naval

Treasurer George Grenville and one other (―J. Campbell‖). Gibraltar was won from

Spain during War of Spanish Succession in 1704.


SPANISH MONIES IN THE AMERICAS

(The following is a break from the chronological set-up of this catalog because

several of the reales and dollars in the Schramm Collection are from various years, this

will cover denominations and uses.)

Spanish Dollar (Real) a.k.a. Piece of Eight

1746

Region: Spanish Colonies, American Colonies

Material: Silver




Description: The Spanish were the first to establish a mint in the New World, at Mexico

City in 1536. (Later at Potosi, Bolivia and Lima, Peru in the 1700s.) The coin

minted would take local mined silver and convert it into cobs. These Cobs were

formed by rolling the refined silver into cylinders and cutting off cross-pieces

(cobs) which would then be further trimmed until they weighed a certain amount

(depending on the coin to be produced). They would then be stamped by hand

using stamps and hammers. These coins were not really meant to be used a

currency, simply a means of accounting for how much silver was being mined for

the king’s benefit (he was entitled to 20% of all silver in the Americas, called the

―Royal Fifth‖). Once in the Old World, these Cobs were commonly melted down

and made into something more portable. Most cobs now recovered come from

shipwrecks. However, the colonists in Spanish-owned and English-owned

Colonies used these coins as currency. Since they were pure silver, they could be

cut into pie-shaped wedges for change if necessary. Usually, they were cut into

eight pieces—hence the nickname ―Pieces of Eight‖. Our Piece of eight was

minted in 1746, and shows much wear and tear. The Obverse features a portion

of the Royal Heraldry, and one can make out the Lion of Leòn, the Castle of

Castille and the Roman Numeral ―V‖. This side has also been clearly double-

struck, leading to a ―ghosting‖ of the image. (Possibly for Philip V of the House

of Bourbon). The back features the full coat of arms, and the letter ―P‖ which

would be one of the assayer’s initials. Similar cobs to this have been pulled from

the wreck of the Atocha.


(Pictured here is the 1746 four-Reale coin)

Spanish Four Reals (Half-Dollar or four bits)

1746, 1753

Region: Spanish and American Colonies

Material: Silver

Description: Not quite half the size of the full dollar, this cob has similar markings to

the full dollar. It is dated to 1746 and could be minted on behalf of Philip V or

Ferdinand VI. The Obverse shows the same type of partial-royal seal as the full

dollar, but also shows a fingerprint that has been etched into the silver. The

Reverse again has the royal heraldry on it and it is possible to see the signs of

Castille, Leòn, Grenada, Aragon, and Sicily on it, along with a fragment of the

royal crown.





(The 1740 Lima Mint Two-Bit Coin Shown here)

Spanish Two Real (Quarter Dollar, or 2 bits)

1706, 1727, 1733, 1740


Material: Silver

Description: Manufactured the same way as the larger denominations in this series. The

1706 and 1727 coins are from the Potosi Mint and the 1740 is from the Lima

Mint.(which makes them more rare than coins struck at the Mexico City Mint).

All four of these coins are very worn and the 1733 coin, shows fantastic metal

stress fractures from the hammer strike that marked the coins. These coins feature

the ―Pillars of Hercules‖ with a numeral ―2‖ between them (coin’s value) along

with sections for the Assayer’s initials, the year, the Mint it was manufactured at.


(Pictured here is the one-reale piece. One of the one-half pieces is much lighter, but similar overall. The

other one-half piece has been cut in half from the original)

Spanish One Reale and one-half Reale

Ca. 1740


Material: Silver

Description: Smaller and still less detailed than the others, these coins are marked as

one-bit or one reale pieces. They come from the Bourbon dynasty of Spanish

kings, because the lower half of their heraldry is stamped on the back. One of the

one-half pieces is literally cut in half from the whole, showing how pieces of eight

and their denominations were sometimes literally used. These pieces were made

in the Mexico City mint, as evidenced by the Florenzada cross on the obverse. (A

cross with flared ends, and a ball set in the center of the flare.)





Spanish Pillar Dollar

1753

Region: Spain and Colonies

Material: Silver

Description: In 1732, the Mexico City mint started to produce ―Pillar Dollars‖. These

dollars we milled as planchets on machine before stamping, leading to a perfectly

consistent weight and size. Once milled and weighed, they were stamped in a

special device that held the edge of the coin while stamping, as well as imprinting

a security design on the edge (to prevent clipping). These consistent, beautifully

designed and struck coins were never made outside of the New World, and due to

that consistency, they quickly became a standard coin for use throughout the New

World and the trading circles. Indeed, when the Americans had to decide how to

base their new currency after the Revolution, they chose to base their new monies

on the Spanish Dollar (the international currency of the time) rather than the

―familiar‖ system of pounds, shillings, ect. The Spanish Pillar Dollar was legal

currency for many years, even until the late 19th

century. Our Spanish dollar was

minted in 1753, is still in beautiful condition, with the mint marks, assayer’s

marks, and the legend clear and distinct.


Virginia ½ penny (Copy)

1763

Region: colonial America

Material: Original: Copper

Description: Although the 1609 Virginia Charter allowed Virginians to mint coins or

petition to mint coins, they did not take advantage of that clause until 1773. At

that time, the Virginia Assembly authorized the minting of a half-penny at Tower

Mint in London. Nearly five tons of these coins were shipped ot Virginia, but

were kept under lock and key until Royal permission was secured to distribute




them in early 1775. Then, the coins were allowed to be exchanged for any and all

gold, silver or Treasury notes a person had. Shortly after the disbursement, the

Revolutionary War broke out, and the coins became even more valuable, and

Virginians hoarded them. Evidence shows that these coins continued circulation

even after the War, and nearly half of the coins excavated at Colonial

Williamsburg are the Virginia halfpence.


Massachusetts Pine Tree Pattern (Copy)

1776

Region: Colonial America Massachusetts

Material:

Description: This coin was never put into circulation. After the revolution, three

patterns were proposed to the Massachusetts Assembly. This was the pattern for

the dollar coin (you can see the 1 D L M around the trunk of the pine tree: short

for 1 Dollar Lawful Money). The patterns for all the proposed coins were

attributed to Paul Revere, both because of the skillful close lettering that he was

known for and the figure of Seated Liberty, which he encouraged the use of, and

which features prominently in all three patterns.


The “Janus” Half-penny (Copy)

1776

Region: Colonial America, Massachusetts

Material:

Description: This penny was discovered with the copper engraved plates and noted the

Paul Revere had made while trying to design a national or at least, State-wide

currency. There is only one like it, and again, features similar lettering and the

figure of the seated goddess Liberty.





Continental Currency

1778

Region: United States Materials: Paper, encapsulated

Description: Continental Currency. Issued by the Continental Congress of Philadelphia,

this $60 is the largest denomination printed in the aftermath of the Revolutionary

War. This is authentic currency, and the signatures of the people who authorized

it is clearly seen, along with the hand-written date above on the obverse of the

dollar. So many of these dollars were issued to try to re-pay all debts that they

became practically worthless, hence the saying: ―Not worth a Continental‖.


(Left to Right: A sampling of Colonial and early American currency copies, center: detail of Georgia

Currency. Right: Detail of New Hampshire Currency with hold indicating its redemption)

State Currencies (Copies)

1778-1780

Region: United States

Materials: Paper

Description: These copies of various state currencies issued during and after the

Revolutionary war. Most of these are certificates allowing the carrier to redeem

these pieces of paper for it’s written amount in gold or silver. However, precious

metal bullion was so scarce, that they could rarely be redeemed. Thus, the gold

and silver coins because worth more than their paper counterparts.





1780 (unknown when this specimen was struck)

Maria Theresa Thaler

Region: Austrian-Hungarian Empire

Material: Originally Silver

Description: This is the longest continuously struck and circulated coin in the world.

Originally struck between 1740 and 1780, this coin was the first to open up major

trading with the Arabs. When Maria Theresa died in 1780, her son and heir

Joseph II, minted some coins with him image, but they were not accepted in the

Middle Eastern World, which wanted the Maria Theresa Thalers. Joseph II

consequently minted more, and the coin has never been out of circulation since. It

has, at times, served as the basis of economies in the Middle East and northern

Africa. The Thaler is printed more or less the same as the original, making

deciphering an exact strike date for an individual coin very difficult. Though

Austria retired the coin from their economy in 1857, the Vienna mint still makes a

few every year, and it is not uncommon to find them still traded in certain African

and Middle Eastern bazaars. Our coin is in near-perfect condition.


Nova Constellatio Copper (possible copies)

1783


Material: Copper

Description: The patterns for these coins were ordered by the American Congress, but

subsequently rejected. Gouverneur Morris, Assistant Financier of the

Confederation, recognized the need for small copper change to be circulating in

the new country and arranged a partnership with the designer, Boenjamin Dudley.

They could make and distribute these coins much more cheaply than they would




cost on the open market, and could use them as currency and to help stop the

flood of counterfeit British lightweight coins that were causing a problem in the

market. As heavier copper tokens were created and distributed in the 1780’s these

coins were removed from circulation.


Connecticut Cents (two in collection)

1783

Region: Colonial America, Connecticut

Material: Copper

Description: This coin came about when Samuel Bishop, James Hillhouse, John

Goodrich and Joseph Hopkins petitioned the General Assembly of Connecticut

for the privilege of minting copper coins. After reviewing the petition, and the

trouble the citizens of Connecticut with the light weight copper change available,

the assembly authorized the men to mint £10,000 of copper coins weighing six

pennyweight a piece. They were to have a man’s head in profile on the obverse

with the legend AVCTORI : CONNEC and the reverse to have a portrait of seated

Liberty with the legend INDE : ET . LIB : 1785. The minters were given five

years and six months to complete the contract, and they were allowed to keep a

total of five percent of all coppers minted as their fee. A few days after this

decree the General Assembly issue another one: it was now illegal to mint copper

coins without first receiving permission from the Assembly.


Revolutionary War Paymaster Slip

1783

Region: United States


Description: Paymaster slip for Timothy Pickering of the Army to be paid $48.54 for

forage rations. This was during the Revolutionary War.





New Jersey Copper

1787

Region: Colonial America, New Jersey\

Material: Copper

Description: The New Jersey Colonial legislature granted Thomas Goadsy, Albion Cox,

and Walter Mould the authority to coin some three million copper coins that

would weigh six pennyweight and six grains a piece. The front was to depict a

horse’s head over a plow with the legend ―NOVA CÆ SAREA‖ and the back to

depict an American shield with the Legend ―E Pluribus Unum.‖ This makes the

New Jersey Copper the first coin to bear the national motto. Nova Caesarea

comes from the name of New Jersey. The name for the English island of Jersey

was Caeserea (Cesar’s Island) therefore, New Jersey was, in Latin, Nova

Caesarea. While the coppers were eventually minted and distributed to the

populace, the three partners turned against each other with vicious lawsuit

bickering over site choosing, tool stealing and stealing Connecticut coppers to re-

print as New Jersey (a profit of 200% more than minting the planchets oneself).


Massachusetts Penny (two in collection)

1788


Material: Copper

Description: In 1786, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts passes a resolution for

establishing a mint to be able to mint coins of ―gold, silver, and copper‖. After

adding up the costs of building, men and materials, the government realized it

could recoup and double it’s investment in only one year, and ordered a series of

copper pennies and half-pennies to be made. However, the actual costs of the

build far outstripped the initial estimates and the committee had forgotten to

factor in the cost of the dies in the original figures. Rather than making a profit,

the Government went a further £2,000 in debt. The mint was closed after the last

of the copper was minted. These coins were well received by the populace and




remained in circulation for quite some time. They were also the only coins (and

the only mint) to conform to the new Federal Resolution of July 6, 1785 that

established the ratio of 100 cents to the Spanish Milled Dollar. After the mint

closed, in 1789, negotiations began with John May to re-open the mint under his

authority. These stopped when it became clear that article one, section eight,

paragraph five of the Constitution (ratified by Massachusetts in 1788) put minting

coins under the federal jurisdiction, not the states. Our coins are pennies, and are

identical to half-pennies in everything except weight. The Obverse features an

Indian with the legend ―Common*Wealth‖ and the Reverse features a familiar-

looking eagle holding arrows and olive branch in his talons. The legend reads

―Massachusetts‖. Fair Detail.


Fugio Cents

1787


Material: Copper

Description: These pennies were the first coins minted by the Federal Government. AT

the time, lightweight and counterfeit coppers were rampant throughout the

country, and damaging the economy. Every time a workman or business had to

accept the light-weight pennies, they lost money since many merchants would not

accept them (or would accept them at a rate far below face value). Congress

passed a resolution on April 21, 1787 to contract for a national copper. Two

months later, they decided on a design, The Obverse would feature a sun and

sundial with the legend ―Fugio‖ (I fly), the date and ―Mind your Business‖. The

Reverse would feature a chain of thirteen links and the central legend of ―United

States: We are One‖. These designs and mottos were the work of Benjamin

Franklin, and an alternative name for this coin is the ―Franklin Cent‖. Like the

Massachusetts penny minting at the same time, the Fugio pennies were to weigh

157.5 grains a piece and be valued at 1/100 a Spanish Milled Dollar.

Unscrupulous practices led to many state pennies to be minted underweight with

federal copper. Our coins are in good condition, though obviously worn. The

―Mind Your Business‖ is nearly worn off the Obverse.





John Wesley Letter with 1836 Commentary

1788, September 1

Region: England

Materials: Paper, attached to another paper, enveloped but not sealed in mylar

Description: Letter from John Wesley to his Niece Sally comforting her after the death

of her father Charles Wesley. According to a note attached to the letter by an

unknown person ―E.J.J‖ in 1836, the note was accompanied by a £90 note to

allow Sally to go to the sea for her health and rest.


Republic of France Warrant

1795

Region: Republic of France:


Description: Commission by the French Government to a certain individual dated 1795

(paper actually dated by Revolutionary dates: year 7) signed by Dupin, Thibault

and Fauvre de Bruniere. (Bruniere signed the death warrant for King Louis XVI)

French, transcription available, not translated. (Translation in progress)





Talbot, Allum and Lee Cents

1794


Material: Copper

Description: William Talbot, William Allum, and James lee joined forces in 1794 to

open an East India Trading Company based out of New York City in 1794. They

ordered two tons of trading ―tokens‖ to be minted in Birmingham England and

shipped to New York. These tokens are the first international trading tokens

based out of America. The Obverse features a standing liberty in the French

Fashion, with the legend ―Liberty * Commerce‖ and the date. The reverse on the

pennies featured a ship with the legend ―Talbott, Allum, & Lee: New York. One

Cent‖. There were so many however, that the company could not accommodate

them all. 1,076 pounds of these coins were sold to the Philadelphia mint to

become planchets for the 1795 half-pennies. When the firm dissolved in 1796,

the Philadelphia mint bought the rest of the coppers for their own use.


Francis II Kronenthaler

1796

Region: Holy Roman Empire

Material: Silver

Description: This coin was issued by the last Holy Roman Emperor, Francis II of the

Hapsburg-Lorraine line. The Obverse features Francis in profile, wearing a

diadem of olive leaves with the legend that when translated and expanded reads

―Francis II by the grace of God, Emperor of the Romans, Ever Supreme, King of

Jerusalem, Hungary and Bohemia.‖ The back features a St. Andrews Cross with

three crowns in the upper quarters and the Order of the Golden Fleece (of which

Francis II was a member) suspended beneath. These crowns are featured on the

Hapsburg-Lorraine Coat of Arms and the top one is the crown of Austria, the

right one is the crown of Bohemia. The left is still unidentified, but may be the

Crown of Charlemagne or the Closed Tuscan Ducal Crown. This legend reads

―Archduke of Austria, Duke of Burgundy, and Lorraine, Count of Flanders,

1796‖. In 1806, Francis II dissolved the Holy Roman Empire after being

defeated by Napoleon at the Battle of Austerlitz and was forced to give his

daughter, Maria Louise as a bride to Napoleon.





The Salem Gazette

1796, September 13

Region: United States, Massachusetts

Material: Paper, not encapsulated

Description: Four page newspaper printed in Salem in 1796 covers local news (farms for

sale, jobs available, elections ongoing) but also national and international

(Napoleon’s wars in Europe, ect.) Transcription available

Historical Newspaper Collection

Payment Request to Napoleon Bonaparte on the Egyptian Campaign

1798 Region: France/Egypt


Description: Letter from Giuseppe Earhart to Napoleon Bonaparte, requesting additional

land in restitution for certain deeds Earhart performed while a part of Napoleon’s

Army. Napoleon signed an order to investigate this claim on the same paper, and

the backside of the paper is covered with the results of said investigation in

French and Arabic, in which the officers conclude that Earhart did not perform

such deeds as would necessitate the awarding of additional land. Written in

Italian, French and Arabic languages. Translation not available, though summary

is. Written and sent during the Egyptian Campaign


Documents

Age of Expansion and Revolution: 1600-1800library.taylor.edu/dotAsset/a44b1176-39f2-4a8a-a7bd-28342602a05e.pdf · America were short of silver and gold coin. ... honor of the same