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

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.