The First American and U.S. Coins: An Illustrated History

This video illustrates the underlying stories of the first American and U.S. coins. As the video demonstrates, the story of America itself is closely connected with its coinage.

It’s important for collectors to understand the early history of American and U.S. coins and the precise distinction between the two.

We’ll delve into American colonial coinage and the 1652 New England shilling and the events leading up to the American Revolution.

During the Articles of Confederation era of 1781-87, there was a confusing array of state-issued coinage and the Fugio cent.

Finally, we get to the Mint Act of 1792 and the beginning of U.S. coins following the adoption of the Constitution.

Learn more at:
https://www.rarecoins101.com/
https://www.rarecoins101.com/key-date-coin-list.html
https://www.rarecoins101.com/1792-half-disme-pattern.html

Sources:

Ancient human footprints found in White Sands National Park, New Mexico, date to between 21,000 and 23,000 years ago.
LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL LABORATORY
https://www.llnl.gov/

Brinkley, Douglas. History of the United States.
New York, NY: Penguin Putnam, Inc., 1998.

Todd, Lewis and Curti, Merle. Rise of the American Nation 3rd ed.
New York, NY: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., 1972.

Doty, Richard. America's Money, America's Story.
Sydney, OH: Amos Press, Inc., 1998.

Orosz, Joel J. and Augsburger, Leonard D. The Secret History of the First U.S. Mint.
Atlanta, GA: Whitman Publishing, 2011.

Taxay, Don. The U.S. Mint and Coinage.
New York, NY: Arco Publishing Company, 1966.

John Hull
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hull_(merchant)

Coin images:
Stack’s Bowers. https://stacksbowers.com/
Heritage Auctions: Brasher Doubloon
https://coins.ha.com/itm/colonials/1787-dbln-new-york-style-brasher-doubloon-eb-on-wing-ms65and-9733-ngc-cac-w-5840/a/1326-3934.s

Images:
Most of the historic images on this video are in the public domain. Many can be found at the Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/

Jamestown Commerce
https://www.nps.gov/jame/index.htm
https://www.nps.gov/media/photo/gallery.htm?id=CAF0E659-155D-451F-67145E627F75F18A
Keith Rocco, artist

Map of 13 colonies:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Zietz

Wampum Beads
https://www.musee-mccord-stewart.ca/en/exhibitions/wampum-beads-diplomacy/
McCord Stewart Museum

British Empire 1763 map
https://www.conservapedia.com/British_Empire

British Surrender at Yorktown
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:British_Troops_Approaching_Surrender_Site_-_Yorktown_225th_Event_October_2006.jpg
Steven C. Berger, CC BY-SA 3.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Washington Taking Oath of Office
HBO 2008 Mini-series: John Adams

Background Music:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6gdmme909I
Hesperus (Madison's Whim - The Merry Strollers - The Killerman)

Yankee Doodle Instrumentel: American Patriotic Song
United Scandinavia and Finland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDlxzC-SvDc

United States | Patriotic song : "Hail Columbia" (Instrumental version)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAijgbmY4dk

https://pixabay.com/

Movie Clip:
"Moby Dick" 1956
Warner Bros.