Coins of 1635 Maine

Hi all

My last name is Ham. My 9th great grandfather and the first Ham in America came to Maine in 1635.

Wondering what the coinage of that era and location would have been? Would like to have one!

Thank you.

 

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The coinage would have been whatever was brought over from Europe at that time.

 

Here’s a decent list of 1635-dated European coins: http://www.coinfactswiki.com/wiki/Coins_and_currency_dated_1635

If you know your ancestor’s birth year, you could try for a coin from that year and his home country. Or, really, any coin from his lifetime.

Hope that helps!

 

There was more than just coins, most common people use Trade Items as a means of bartering. Do you have any idea what your 9GGF did for a living?
New England at that time was predominantly French and English.

 

Thank you all so far! He was born in 1597 (about) in England and traveled to Maine as an indentured servant in 1635 on the ship SPEEDWELL. From Maine he moved to what is now known as Portsmouth, NH (then called Strawberry Banke) He died there in 1672. An old man for those days. In fact his nickname was “Old Ham”

Fun fact. He was accused of witchcraft in 1656 but that’s all we know. Apparently the accusation didn’t go far.

I believe his occupation was a builder.

 

In 1635 coinage would be a mix of Spanish and English predominantly as well as other European countries. Hard money was scarce and barter was prevalent. As well as wampum was used during this time period with the native Americans. A cool coin to get that likely he saw was a Massachusetts oak or pine tree piece

 

This, but the supply of coinage wasn't terribly reliable, as there was no coinage made in the colonies at that time. From coins.nd.edu:

The first legislation of the Massachusetts General Court regarding money, passed on March 4, 1635 stated: (quoted from Crosby, p. 26)

It is ordered that hereafter farthings shall not passe for currant pay. -
It is likewise ordered, that muskett bulletts of a full boare shall passe currantly for a farthing apeece, provided that noe [i.e. no] man be compelled to take above xiid [12d, that is a shilling] att a tyme in them.
​

The farthings referred to are base metal tokens, but musket bullets had more intrinsic value, so they became de facto money.

 

So by the above logic, would it be safe to say that a 1635 farthing would be a fairly educated guess on a piece of currency he may have had?

The SPEEDWELL landed in Maine April 29, 1635, so that currency would have maybe been circulating before he left?

 

He probably had little to no currency, being an indentured servant. If you wanted a farthing from that period, they were not dated, so you'll just be looking for any Charles I farthing.

 

At that early year musket balls and trade beads would be much more common currency than any coinage. The New England coinage would not come about for another 17 years. English copper, Spanish silver, Dutch coinage, maybe some French coins from Canada.

 

I think a Charles I farthing would be a satisfactory representation for me. Thank you everybody for this information.

 

If you want to learn some Maine history, This is a awesome and somewhat rare book. Only 2000 printed.
http://www.joshualawrencechamberlain.com/maineherplace.php?i=1

 

Here is a coin artifact found in Maine.
https://mfship.org/history/artifacts-from-popham-colony-dig/