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Message:: [QUOTE="Clinker, post: 421142, member: 6229"]I was wondering about what subject to pursue for an interesting post. Do you know what is/are the first coin/coins in the Americas? Some of you think the Masachusettes Willow Tree, Oak Tree and Pine Tree coins dated 1652 were first. These coins carry the 1652 date, but were not struck in 1652. The various varieties were struck as follows (photos courtesy Coin Facts): Willow Tree minted 1653 to 1560: <a href="http://www.coinfacts.com/colonial_coins/massachusetts_silver/willow_tree_silver/willow_tree_silver_coins_by_variety.htm" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.coinfacts.com/colonial_coins/massachusetts_silver/willow_tree_silver/willow_tree_silver_coins_by_variety.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.coinfacts.com/colonial_coins/massachusetts_silver/willow_tree_silver/willow_tree_silver_coins_by_variety.htm</a>  Oak Tree minted 1650 - 1667: <a href="http://www.coinfacts.com/colonial_coins/massachusetts_silver/oak_tree_silver/oak_tree_silver_coins.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.coinfacts.com/colonial_coins/massachusetts_silver/oak_tree_silver/oak_tree_silver_coins.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.coinfacts.com/colonial_coins/massachusetts_silver/oak_tree_silver/oak_tree_silver_coins.html</a>  Pine Tree minted 1667 - 1682 <a href="http://www.coinfacts.com/colonial_coins/massachusetts_silver/pine_tree_silver/pine_tree_silver_coins.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.coinfacts.com/colonial_coins/massachusetts_silver/pine_tree_silver/pine_tree_silver_coins.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.coinfacts.com/colonial_coins/massachusetts_silver/pine_tree_silver/pine_tree_silver_coins.html</a>   Some scholars think the undated New England Threepence, Sixpence and Shilling (twelvepence) were first. A lot of historians believe the minting date of the New England coins was really 1652. Most numismatic historians believe that, because the New England coins were the first coins to be minted on American soil, they should have this great honor. Here's a photo of a New England Shilling (The differences between the denominations is size and Roman numerals on reverse - III for 3 Pence, VI for 6 Pence and XII for Shilling(courtesy Coin Facts): <a href="http://www.coinfacts.com/colonial_coins/massachusetts_silver/1652_new_england_shilling.htm" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.coinfacts.com/colonial_coins/massachusetts_silver/1652_new_england_shilling.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.coinfacts.com/colonial_coins/massachusetts_silver/1652_new_england_shilling.htm</a>   Doubters say, "Yes, first minted in the English colonies of North America, but there is more to the Americas than just North America." Numismatic historians point out that French coins (Douzains, Deniers, Sols, Testons and the like) circulated in New France (pre colonial Canada) with dates as early as 1650. I cite the following: "No French coins were ever minted exclusively for circulation in French Canada (called Nouvelle France, that is, New France) or Louisiana. However, some issues were designated for general circulation in the French New World possessions, including Canada and possessions in the Caribbean. The first New World colonial issues were "recycled" old douzain coins, that is coins of 1 through 12 deniers (one sol). These hammered coins were composed of billon (an alloy of silver and copper) and consisted of both regal issues and regional coinage issued by local ecclesiastical or feudal lords."  Here's some photos with text courtesy Coin Archives: <a href="http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=369918&AucID=274&Lot=1352" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=369918&AucID=274&Lot=1352" rel="nofollow">http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=369918&AucID=274&Lot=1352</a>  <a href="http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=377645&AucID=280&Lot=1102" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=377645&AucID=280&Lot=1102" rel="nofollow">http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=377645&AucID=280&Lot=1102</a>  Still, other numismatic historians point out that the Sommer Islands (now named Bermuda), a British-American Colony, had circulation coins back in 1616 called "Hoggies" or "Hogge Money" (Each had a hog on one side and a ship on the other side). In fact, these "Hoggies" were produced in England. The denominations? Twopence, Threepence and Shilling. When viewing the photo, read the text: <a href="http://www.coinfacts.com/colonial_coins/sommer_island/sommer_island_coins.htm" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.coinfacts.com/colonial_coins/sommer_island/sommer_island_coins.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.coinfacts.com/colonial_coins/sommer_island/sommer_island_coins.htm</a>  History of the Spanish Conquests in the Americas reveals the first coins for the New World were struck during Charles I's and Johanna's rule. Santo Domingo produced from 1542 to 1595 the first copper two-and-four maravedis. In 1535 a royal decree ordered the installation of the first mint in the western hemisphere at Mexico City. Silver one, two and four Real pieces bearing the Pillars of Hercules were struck there. The first gold coins produced in the new world were struck in either Cartagena or Bogota in 1622. Here's a photo and text courtesy Coin Source: <a href="http://www.coinresource.com/news/first_colonial%20_coin.htm" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.coinresource.com/news/first_colonial%20_coin.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.coinresource.com/news/first_colonial%20_coin.htm</a> Here's another photo (courtesy americanhistory): <a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/numismatics/spain/2realm.jpg" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/numismatics/spain/2realm.jpg" rel="nofollow">http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/numismatics/spain/2realm.jpg</a>  Others proclaim the first coins of distinction made solely for the Americas were copper 4-maravedí pieces authorized for Santo Domingo in Spanish America by Ferdinand II on December 20, 1505 (later confirmed by his daughter, Johanna_of_Castile, on May 10 1531. These coins were minted in Spain (at Burgos and Seville) and shipped to Santo Domingo (Hispaniola), and subsequently also to Mexico and Panama. The first were struck 1502-1504 in the name of Ferdinand and Isabella, with an F-I monogram obverse and pillars reverse. Ferdinand died in 1516, and Johanna's son Charles became King Carlos I of Aragon and Regent of Castille, so the last coppers struck in the early 1520s had a Carlos-Johanna monogram. Quote from Wikapedia. "After the discovery of America, copper maravedís were the first coins struck for the purpose of circulation in the colonial island of Hispaniola, and are thus considered the first coins for the New World. Crude maravedís were used as colonial change for smaller transactions. Initially produced in Spain specially for the Indies they were later struck locally at Hispaniola years before the mints of Mexico and Santo Domingo were officially established." I was unable to locate photos. Still other Scholars reason, since Columbus received a yearly stipend (theKing and Queen of Spain gave him an annual annuity of 12,000 Maravedies), the coins in his Admiral's personal chest and the coins he and his crew carried in their change pouches were actually the first coins to arrive in the Americas. Here's a photo showing both sides of a Spanish Gold Ecellente (a denomination that might have been in Columbus' Money Chest (courtesy of americanhistory): <a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/numismatics/spain/ferdisa.jpg" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/numismatics/spain/ferdisa.jpg" rel="nofollow">http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/numismatics/spain/ferdisa.jpg</a>  Still other historians bring up a find that may shed light on the real first coin used in the Americas.It seems an excavation of a very old Native American Trading Center in Brooklin, Maine unearthed (along with other artifacts) a coin now referred to as the Maine Penny.This find brought out a unique conclusion to the numismatic historians living in the area.The coin was determined to be an 11th century Norse coin probably brought to the area by a Norse explorer (Leif Ericksson?).  Here's a photo of a Norse coin struck circa 1010 (same denomination as the Maine Penny):  <a href="http://imagedb.coinarchives.com/img/spink/7030/image00071" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://imagedb.coinarchives.com/img/spink/7030/image00071" rel="nofollow">http://imagedb.coinarchives.com/img/spink/7030/image00071</a>   So, I leave it to your discretion as to which one/ones were first. It boils down to your perspective, doesn't it? Hope you enjoyed this trivia... Clinker[/QUOTE]

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