Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1841-02-15
MISCELLANY.
TIE PINE TREE SHILLING.
BY NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE.

Captain John Hull was the mnt-master of Mas
sach,isetts, and coined all the money that was
made there. This was new line of business
for in the earlier days Of the colony, the current
coinage consisted of gold and silver mon
ey OF England Portugal and Spain. These
coins being scarce, the people were often forced
to barter their commodities instead of selling
them.
For instance, if n man wanted to buy coat, he
perhaps exchanged n bear skin for it, Ifhe wish
ed for barrel of molasses, he might purchase il
with pile of pine boards. Musket bullets were
used instead of farthings. The Indians had sort
of money, called wanpum, which was made OF
cam-shes and this strange sort of specie was
likewise taken in payment of debts, by the Eng
lish settlers. Bank bills had never been heard Of
There was not money enough OF any kind, in ma
ny parts OF the country, to pay their ministers SO
that they sometimes had to take qnintals of FISH
bushels of corn, or cords of wood instead of sill
veltor gold.
As the people grew more numerous, and their
trade one with another increased, the want of cur
rent money was still more senslbly felt. To sup
ply the demand, the general court passed u law
for establishing coinage of shillings, sixpences
and threepences. Capt. John Hull was appointed
TO manufacture this money, and WAS 10 have a
bout one shilling out OF every twenty, to pay him
for the trouble of making them.
Hercupon, all the old silver in the colony was
silver cans and tankards, | suppose, and silver
buckles, and broken spoons, silver buttons OF
worn out coats, and silver hits of swords TINT ad
figured ut court, all such curious old articles were
doubtless thrown into the melting pot together
But by far the greater part of The silver consisted
of bullion from the mines of South America
which the English buccaneers, (who were iuIe
better ;han pirates,) had taken from the Spanards
aud brought 10 Massachusetts.
All this old and new silver heing melted down
and coined, the result was an immense amount oil
splendid shilIngs, sixpences anG threepences -
Each had the date of 1862, on the ore side and
The figure of pine tree on the other. Hence
they were called pine tree shillings And for ev-
cry twenty shugs that he coined you will re-
member, Captain John Hull was entiiled TO put
one shilling into his own pocket.
The magistrates soon began to suspect that the
minl-mn would have the best of the bargain
They offered him large sum of money il he
would but give up that twentieth shilling, which
he was continually dropping into his own pocket
But Captain Hull declared he was perfectly salts.
fed with the shilling. And well he might he ioI
so diligently did he labor .lia in few years, his
pockets, his money bags, and his strong box were
OVERLOOKING with pine tree shngs. This was
probably the case, when he came into possession
of Grandather's chair 4; and MS he had worked SO
hard at the mint, ii was certainly proper that he
should have comfortable chair to rest himself
on.
When the mnt-masier had grown very rich, n
young man, Samuel Sewell by name. came a
courtng his only daughter. His daughter-whose
name do not know but we will call her Betsey
was fine, hearty damsel, by no means 30 sen-
der as some young ladies of our own days. On
the contrary having always fed heartily on pump
kin pies, dough nuts, Indian puddings. and other
puritan dantes she was round and plump as a
pudding. With this round rosy Miss Bvsey did
Samuel Sewell fall in love. As he was young
man of good character industrious in his bust.
ness, and member OF the church, the mint mas.
ter very readily gave his consent