American Coin History

We made this US coin history timeline to help us figure out which coins were being used and circulating during the American colonial period through the 1800's, and how we can find more of these old coins by metal detecting. For instance, when we went down to the river and detected the river bank we found a Spanish Reale and several Large cents.

We wanted to know what was going on at the river during the time that these coins were lost. Did they just fall out of pockets as colonists were getting in and out of boats? Maybe there was a ferry stop there, or a stop where goods were traded. Or were the settlers washing their clothes on the river bank and the coins were in the pockets because we have found lots of old buttons too. We are absolutely amazed every time we locate one of these old coins.

The first American coins used by the colonists was furnished mostly by Great Britain and Spain, they were silver, but the limited amount, scarcity, and need of coins, tempted the colony of Massachusetts to create a small mint in this country, which they did in 1652. When did our coins all start being made from copper? The first copper coins were tokens. The Granby Coppers were the first copper coins made in America. There were alot of them made too, where did they all disappear to?

United States Coin Timeline

1535 - Spaniards establish mint in Mexico City
1616 - Hogge Money provided for Bermuda from England
1652 - John Hull - silver pieces - NE
1653 -1660 - Willow Tree
1660 - 1667 - Oak Tree
1658,1659 - Lord Baltimore - colony of Maryland - from England
1664-1666 - London Elephant tokens (used by merchants)
1664 - 1710 - New York token
1667 -1682 - Pine Tree
1682 - Mark Newby - half pence and farthings - New Jersey
1688 - James II Plantation Token
1694 - Carolina Elephant Token from England; New England Elephant token
1714 - Gloucester token (brass)
1720 - John Laws -
1721-1722, 1767 - France sends copper and bronze money for the Colonies Francoise
1722, 1724 - Hibernia - unpopular in Ireland, sent to colonies
1722, 1724 - William Wood - Rosa Americana series sent from England
1732 - 1772 - Spanish milled dollar (eight reales; pillar dollar; piece of eight)
1737 - John Higley or Granby coppers
1773 - Virginia Halfpenny - copper
1760 - Hibernia Voce Populi
1766 - Pitt tokens
1774 - Virginia Halfpenny - silver (shilling)
1776 - New Hampshire copper cents
1776 - Pine Tree Copper - Massachusetts
1776 - Indian Copper - Massachusetts
1776 - Half penny - Massachusetts
1776 - Continental Dollar struck in Philadelphia - silver, brass, pewter
1778 - 1779 - Rhode island Ship Medal
1783 - Nova Constellatio Coppers - Birmingham
1783 - Nova Constellatio Silver
1783 - Annapolis Maryland - silver - J. Chalmers
1785 - Vermont copper cents
1785 - Immune Columbia pieces - copper,silver
1785, 1786 - Connecticut copper cents - mint established near New Haven
1785 - Confederatio Coppers
1786 - New Jersey copper cents
1787 - New York
1787, 1788 - Connecticut copper cents - crudely struck on imperfect planchets
1787 - 1789 - Massachusetts - copper and half cents

April 2, 1792 - President Washington signed a law to establish a United States mint, which went into effect at once.
Sept. 1, 1792 - first six pounds of copper were bought for coinage.
Sept. 21,1792 - three coinage presses arrived from Europe and early
Oct., 1792 - first half dimes and a few copper cents patterns were struck by the new United States mint.

1793 - regular issue of large copper cents begins
1793 - flowing hair, wreath
1793 - 1796 - liberty cap
1794 - first dollar, half dollar and half dime were struck
1795 - first gold $10 eagle and $5 half eagle, were struck
1796 - first quarter and dime
1796 - 1807 - draped bust, flowing hair
1808 - 1814 - Classic Head large cent
1815 - no cents were coined
1816 - 1857 - Coronet large cent
1849 - first $20 double eagle
1856 - 1858 - Flying Eagle cent
1859 - 1909 - Indian Head cent
1873 - first trade dollar.
1834 - Gold coins issued by private parties