Daily Kennebec journal., 1910-11-05
SHORT TALKS ON COINS.
Some Interesting Colonial Coins, so called, in crcula-
tion among the American Coonies--1722-1792
Before the establishment of the U. S. Mint.
FRANK T. NOBLE.
Collection now on view window Of First National Bank

United States Mint ana as early d.
1922 a large amount of copper tokens
of light weight and of a great variety
of designs and legends were coined lr
England and elsewhere and sent into
the American Colonies by private en-
t5rprise.
Many of these were imported by
tradesmen who could pass them off at
a handsome profit over cost While
thousands were circulated broadcast
by the agents of the originators being
aided by the general scarcity OF small
change throughout the Colonies.
from the remarkable variety Of these
coins which for a period of nearly
one hundred years were apparently
readily accepted as money in the diff
ferent channels of traderit would ap-
pear that the home government o:
England did but little for it's colonies
in America towards facilitating tran
sactions in authorized coins of the
realm.
Very little English money came in
and the mother country evidently
made little or no effort to supply Its
offspring with coins of any kind.
1t is plain the situation was such
that most anything of whatever de-
vice so long as it was a "copper" the
common term applied in those days to
a cent piece, passed current without
question.
The study Of this remarkable group
of coins furnishes the student with an
insight into the sentiments and feel
ings then prevalent on each side OF
the water regarding the persistency
of Great Britain to retain her grasp
upon the American Colonies and like
wise the doggcd determination of the
Colonists themselves to become a
free and independent nation
Let US cnnsi1:I hri' T. " feV o. the
most interesting emissions oi ta.se
carly days.
Tho Rosa Americana Series.
In 1722-23 there appe AIRED in the
American Colonies a handsomely got
ten up series of coins. two-pence, pen
MES and half pence, having on the OBJ
verse side finely executed head OF
King George l., with the legend
GEORGIA DEL GRATIA REX."
George by the grace of God. King
and on the reverse full blown rose
with legend ROSA AMERICANA
and date 1872. At bottom. "UTILE
DULCT' Uhe pleasant with the use
fuD.
In 1923 tho coins We're issued with
the rose surmountcd by a crown
These coins were issued by one Will
liam Wood under Royal patent for ust
in the American Colonies and no doubt
the venture was most profitable They
arc now quit rare and in fine condi-
tion command a high price among
collectors.
The Wood Half Penny.
The American Colonies were made
dumping ground for another issue
of coins gotten ~ by the aforesaid
Wood who under Hoyal patent coined
thousands of half-pennics for use II
Ir,land during the reign of George I
These pieces bore the head of the
King similar to the Rosa Americana
coins on the diverse, and on the re-
verse an Irish harp and date 1722.
Tho feeling in Ireland at the time
was so strong against the king that
the inhabitants refused to accept the
coins and after a few Intellectual at
tempts to get them into circulation
they hit upon the expedient of dump
ing the issue upon long suffering Ann
erica. and it doesn't appear there was
any serious objection from the colon
lists. They We're in sore need OF
medium of exchange in their steadily
increasing business ventures and they
seemed to assimulate everything II
that line. much as we now receive
and digest as it were, the great stream
of emigrant humanity that daily ar
rive upon our shores.
Tho Virginia Half Penny.
This interesting coin dated l715
Nas another foreign struck piece con
ceIved by some one in the old country
who sought to profit from the thrift
of the people of tho new world. on the
ohvcrsc is well executed head %
King George III. with legcn'
"GEORGICS III. REX." On the re
verse appears the Royal arms of Eng
land upon a shield surmounted by ;
rrown and in scmirirclc divided is
"VIEGI MA" and date l7I3. Thi:
piece WAS undoubtedly an indi
Nidual enterprise that had thu
;acit consent of tho colony oW'
ing partly to the scarcity of small
change and largely. without a doubt
to"a confidential participation i'm I'll,
profits derived from its circulation by
those in authority-another unmistal.