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Last night I read several articles on CoinLink about collecting colonial coins -- that they are affordasble, interesting, etc., and of course, "just think - George Washington might even have spent this coin." Yeah, right! It may be the skepticism I have acquired as a crusty old lawyer, but I doubt whether Washington, or any other of the wealthy "founding fathers," condescended to handle money at all, much less lowly coppers regarded as the money for the poor. Until 1662, the British sovereigns deemed it below their dignity to issue copper coins; and the Spanish colonial merevedi were intended only for the lowest rung in the caste system. Robert Morris, one of the architects of our coinage system, advocated the half-cent denomination as a sort of charity for the poor, arguing that the small denomination would lower prices. If the thesis of Charles Beard's "An Economic Interetation of the Constitution" is accepted, the American Revolution and our Constitution was not about altruistic notions of democracy and freedom but motivated by the liberty to acquire wealth. The Constitution, drafted by men of wealth, was concerned with the rich protecting their own interests: Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness in the Declaration of Independence somehow becomes Life, Liberty, and PROPERTY in the Constitution. No, I doubt whether the aristocratic founding fathers --- capitalists and slave owners --- ever handled coins at all, much les the lowly coppers isssued between 1776 and 1788, or any of the one-cent and half-cent pieces issued in the early days of the mint. These coins and token were issued to alleviate the shortage of copper coins needed for everyday mundane commercial transactions; and I cannot imagine George Washington or Thomas Jefferson going to the market to dicker with common wworking-class people with dirt under their fingernails over the price of a peck of potatoes. Whenever I see the colorful colonial ceremonial fife-and-drum bands, as may be seen in Williamsburg or at presidential ceremonies, I think to myself that the tricorn hats, scarlet waistcoats, and powedered wigs are the uniforms of the colonial bigots who restricted voting rights to property owners, denied property rights to women, and regarded Afro-Americans as property to be bought and sold, and suitable only for picking cotton or breeding as one breeds horses. It makes me proud that my grandparents were hard-working Italian immigrants at the turn of the twentieth century and that the so-called "founding fathers" were not, technically speaking, MY forefathers who personified greed and who endorsed slavery in our venerated Constitution, a document of "liberty and justice for all." I doubt whether any of them ever touched a colonial copper by any reasonable stretch of the imagination.
Bill DeLeonardis Remember: Whether you think you can, or whether you think you can't, you're right!
Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness in the Declaration of Independence somehow becomes Life, Liberty, and PROPERTY in the Constitution.
"Life, liberty and property" comes from British philosopher John Locke in one of his essays on government (1690, I think), in which he defended the "Glorious Revolution," the more or less non-violent overthrow of James II in 1688. For Jefferson and his ilk, the pursuit of happiness and the pursuit of property were pretty much the same thing, but since the purpose of the Declaration of Independence was propaganda, Jefferson must have decided that "happiness" sounded nobler.
And I don't think the phrase appears in the Constitution anywhere.
The reply was a bit off topic from my original posting as to who was more likely to have held colonial coppers -- common working peopled as opposed to the burgeoning American aristocracy. My point was that speculation in a numismatic article as to whether some founding father may have held or used a coin adds nothing to the knowledge of coins but simply appeals to youngsters who might be impressed by the age of the coin. Numismatic articles should advance knowledge in, or give insight into, some aspect of coin collecting such as how to detect fake coins or how to build a collection focused on a theme. But, for the record, I agree that Ben Franklin, Tom Jefferson, and that elitist clique of "founding fathers" held a more pragmatic philosophy that pursuit of happiness equated to the pursuit and protection of property. Indeed, the Declaration of Independence was "propaganda" then as it is now. It justified the overthrow of the British government but, Lord help us, if we expressed the same reasoning to overthrow the present regime. The phrase "life, liberty, or PROPERTY" is in the due process clause of the fifth amendment, currently an endangered specie with the Patriot Act and composition of the "High Court" --- the popular journalistic term that converts the United States Supreme Court into one sounding like a High Court of a Banana Republic with a constitution-of-the-month. But back to comments about coins -- it is interesting that, even though the Spanish coins were the work-horses of colonial and early American economy, accouunting was still done in "blue blood" pounds, shillings, and pence. The Spanish dollar was value at 4 shillings, 6 pence in Virginia and 5 shillings in Massachusetts. The only British coins in the colonies were copper halfpence and a few farthings, frequently found at excavation sites around military forts where suttlers sold spirits and tobacco to soldiers.
Bill DeLeonardis Remember: Whether you think you can, or whether you think you can't, you're right!
Just a side note here Bill; Not sure why you bothered to tell all of us that you were a lawyer! We would have surmised as much from your post and rational of the subject.
Oh yes, welcome to the forum, we will look forward to your next post.
I believe, and I would like to continue believing that the coinage that circulated during the late 18th and early 19th century was regularly used by the population (relative to it's availability). While I agree there's probably some truth in the theory that "lowly coppers" were used primarily by the poor, I'd like to think that those patriots (rich and poor) we all studied about may very well have touched the same coins that are today available to collectors. When Mrs. Revere asked Paul to ride into town to pick up some essentials, he may well have presented a spanish coin to cover the cost, but any change due him may well have been paid in copper coins. And when Tom Paine or Nathan Hale stopped somewhere for a latte, or a pint, or a meal, I think it's likely a similar exchange occurred. And I'd be very surprised if Ben Franklin didn't have a penny jar.
Right now, I think my oldest piece is a well circulated '36 Bust half. James Monroe and John Quincy Adams were our only living former presidents, Andrew Jackson was in the White House, and Abraham Lincoln was an Illinois legislator. It's likely that none of them ever saw or touched my coin. But who knows?
When I get around to it, I'm going to pick up some older pieces. I'd love to acquire some 1800-1810 halves, dollars, coppers, etc. Our nation is rich with heritage and history and the coins available to collectors today have survived through the years. I love it.
I have to agree, I know some people that are pretty dadburn rich by anyones standards (one of my best friends of 20 years is a country music star and I have met alot of artists like him) and I have to say, if someone owed them money they wouldn't care what denomination the money was in form of, they would take it, much like I am sure NONE of the founding fathers did when it came time to settle debts of any kind. The rich doesn't stay that way by turning down money, and if its in circulation in the time of their life chances are they have touched it
I have a few worn coins from the late 1700's and early 1800's. It's a romantic idea that someone great may have touched the coin. But without hero worship, I know a lot of people from all walks of life did touch the coins as they are very worn indeed. The unknown history of two hundred years of this coins life will remain a mystery and that I find is just as romatic an idea.
If the wealthy were above the use of coppers as a daily monitary form ??
with what did they pay the poor servants and workman that were in their employ ??
with what did they pay the local bar keep for their daily cups of rum ?
with what did they give to the poor box in the church ?
I think its a good possibility that the founding Fathers used the lowly copper coins of the time ,, at certian times and places if for no other reason than to be frugal or cheap whichever way you wish to say it !
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Posted 11/02/2006 12:57 pm
