The Early Coins of America: And the Laws Governing Their Issue (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from The Early Coins of America: And the Laws Governing Their IssueIn view of the great interest in the study of Numismatology, and the many recent discoveries of local coins not heretofore described, as well as the numerous errors (perhaps unavoidable at their time,) into which writers upon the subject of American coins have fallen, it was deemed expedient, a few years since, by the New England Numismatic and Archæological Society, at the suggestion of their then Vice President, (Mr. Charles Chaplin,) to publish a work which should contain full and correct descriptions of those coins known among American collectors as "Colonials." A committee, consisting of Messrs. Sylvester S. Crosby, Dudley R. Child, Chas. Chaplin, Chas. S. Fellows, T. Edward Bond, and Jas. E. Root, was thereupon appointed to prepare the work for publication.When it became known that such a work was contemplated, many friends, in whose judgment the greatest confidence was reposed, advised that it should be made to include also copies of the laws by authority of which such coins were issued, as well as of acts and proposals, or petitions, having in view the establishment of a coinage, which were presented to or passed by those States which took action upon this subject. This advice was accepted, though not without much hesitation, in consequence of the magnitude of the work which such a plan would necessitate, and the time requisite for the study and research which should be devoted to the subject to insure reliability.Circumstances having relieved the Committee to whom the work was entrusted, from their labor, the duty of preparing this volume most unexpectedly devolved upon myself, originally the Chairman of the Committee. Having constantly in view the plan adopted, I have therefore personally inspected and copied nearly all the records and documents relating to coinage which the strictest search could discover in the archives of the several States; and of mos…