Was the Higley Copper the first original coin minted in America? [solved]

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Hello,

I get that, officially, the first coin that was minted in the US and circulated nationwide was either the Fugio cent from 1789 or the half disme of 1792 (not sure which?), but if you include tokens and unofficial coinage, what was the first coin ever minted in America?

I got curious because it seems like the Higley Copper from 1737 was the first coin/token that was minted in America with original designs that were not imitative of existing coins, but I can’t find much information on this matter. Is there anything older than that?
Twopence a week, and jam every other day!
The 500 quints coin from 1783 seems to be the first "official" coin of the US (LINK).
Colonial would be the Massachusetts Bay Colony shillings? (LINK)
"Officially" is the key word you chose to use so...........



https://www.usmint.gov/learn/history/us-circulating-coins#:~:text=Coinage%20Act%20of%201792&text=The%20Mint%20delivered%20the%20nation's,bulky%20size%20for%20small%20change.
Hmm, I didn't know the Massachusetts silver was a thing but that's pretty early! Upon further research, I found out that the Higley Copper wasn't even the first copper coin minted in America, but the Lord Baltimore penny was. Oh well. Thank you anyway!
Twopence a week, and jam every other day!
Status changed to Solved (Cuthwellis, 11-Sep-2020, 02:14)
Quote: "Cuthwellis"​Hmm, I didn't know the Massachusetts silver was a thing but that's pretty early! Upon further research, I found out that the Higley Copper wasn't even the first copper coin minted in America, but the Lord Baltimore penny was. Oh well. Thank you anyway!
​You may wish to recheck your sources. Lord Baltimore's silver coinage was ordered from the Royal Mint, London. My sources do not indicate where the extremely rare penny (denarium) was minted, but it was probably the same mint. The penny is considered to be a pattern; only 5-9 are known.

I guess we need to split some hairs, and define what is meant by "America". There are some Caribbean coinages that are very early, and there are some early Spanish colonial coinages for Central and South America (most are not "original" except as to mintmarks, but the lower denominations were not standard). The early issues of the Mexico City Mint (established in 1535) and some earlier Hispanola issues are "original" designs.

For the English, the Sommer Island (Bermuda) coins were minted about 1616, but these were minted in London.

The French were counterstamping older coins (in France), for use in French North America, in 1640.

The Spanish mint at Potosi, Bolivia, was notorious for debasing its silver coinage (including too much copper). One numismatic researcher claims that the New England churches grew tired of receiving these debased coins, so remelted them and minted their own coinage (the Massachusetts Willow, Oak and Pine Tree coinages), all of which (except one two pence coin) are dated 1652. The slightly earlier NE coinage was undated.

Higley's coppers may well be the first copper coins of original design that were minted in what is now the mainland United States. Higley had his own copper mine. The copper in his coins was so pure that silversmiths had recipes of how many Higley coppers to use to get a specific fineness for their jewelry and silverware.

Higley's earliest coins/tokens have a denomination, but he began getting resistance as he flooded his local market. His later issues say "Value Me as You Please".
Thank you so much for your information! I think I’ll look a little more into the Higley copper. If it can really be considered the first copper coin minted in what is now the US, I find it interesting that a coin with such historical significance (even if it’s a rare token) is so little known.
Twopence a week, and jam every other day!
The Higley coppers are known, to anyone who has read the Colonial Coins section of the Red Book ("A Guide Book of United States Coins" by R. S. Yeoman).
That book has been published in new editions for every year since 1947.

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