American Plantation Tokens

About This Coin

Authorized by King James II of England in 1688, American Plantation Tokens were among the first officially sanctioned coins intended specifically for circulation in the English colonies of the Americas. Struck in tin (97.5% tin, 2.5% brass alloy), these tokens measure 28.9 mm in diameter and feature an ornamented edge — an anti-counterfeiting measure unusual for tokens of this era. The obverse bears a depiction of a kneeling figure offering a calumet (peace pipe) to an equestrian monarch, while the reverse displays the royal cypher and a four-line inscription establishing the token's authority. Despite the royal authorization, Plantation Tokens saw limited circulation and met resistance from colonists who preferred Spanish silver and other established trade currencies. The tin composition, while cheaper than copper or silver, made the tokens susceptible to corrosion and bending, and surviving examples often show significant environmental damage. Within the Pre-1776 Private and Regional Issues (1616-1766) series, American Plantation Tokens hold foundational importance as a formal attempt by the English Crown to address the chronic shortage of small change in its colonial possessions. The tokens' bimetallic tin-brass construction, ornamented edge, and royal authorization make them unique among early American colonial issues and provide valuable evidence about late 17th-century monetary policy for the Atlantic colonies.