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  • Pence Coinage of ca. 1700: Introduction

    Petition concerning Lead and Pewter Coins Presented to the General Assembly of Pennsylvania - June 21, 1698

    Note on the transcription.   Abbreviations have been expanded, spelling, punctuation and capitalization of the original has been retained. Brackets [ ] indicate added comments to clarify the text. The new year did not begin until March at that time, so the third month was June.

    To the Generall Asemply (sic) now Sitting the petition of Sundry the Inhabitants of this province most humbly Sheweth

    WHEREAS your petition's being Inhabitants of this province and being given to understand that there is great Quantities of Leaden and pewter farthings & half pence whereby your petition's are likely to be mutch Damaged by Reason such great Quantity's are Liable to be Crowded upon us.

    Now these are to Protest & humbly Interest that you would be pleased to make an act of Assembly That such farthings & half pence that are made of Lead & pewter may be wholly suppressed & Cryed Down and only those of Copper which are the Kings Coyn may pass the farthings for two a penny & the half pence for a penny.

    Philadelphia the twenty first day of the third month 1698

    According to Scott this petition was read in the Assembly and referred for further consideration. It was then sent to the Provincial Council and finally taken to the Governor by Samuel Richardson and Anthony Morris.

    References

    Harrold Gillingham, Counterfeiting in Colonial Pennsylvania,  Numismatic Notes and Monographs, number 86, New York: American Numismatic Society, 1939, pp. 6-7; Kenneth Scott, Counterfeiting in Colonial Pennsylvania,  Numismatic Notes and Monographs, number 132, New York: American Numismatic Society, 1955, pp. 9-10; Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives of the Province of Pennsylvania,   Philadelphia: Franklin and Hall, 1752, vol. 1, p. 105.

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    Section Contents Base Metal Tokens and the Massachusetts Pence of ca. 1700:Introduction


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