The Leslie Brock Center for the Study of Colonial CurrencyWelcome! As you can see I am busy delving into the fascinating history of America's colonial
currencies. Decades before the American revolution, each of the colonies issued their own
paper money.
ContentsSearch the documentsPamphlets
Other Contemporary Writings
Articles
Articles elsewhere on the web
Miscellaneous
This page maintained by the Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia |
These monetary experiments
embroiled the colonies in controversy, fueling political disputes both within the colonies
and between the colonies and England. These experiments also raised fundamental economic
questions, such as how paper money influences prices, exchange rates, economic growth, and
the balance of trade. Almost three centuries later, these issues remain unsettled, and
continue to spark controversy. This home page, still under development, is designed to
whet your interest in the topic. The best introduction available on the Web is my article
on "Colonial Currency, Prices, and Exchange Rates" which you can reach though a
link below. A few contemporary pamphlets, dealing primarily with Massachusetts and New
England, are available here in electronic text. These pamphlets illustrate the debate
within colonial society, and provide some insight into the history of the period. If you
find the subject as interesting as I do, explore the suggestions for additional reading.
Some recommended books are available at your local library, although I have made a point
of mentioning some references that are less well known, such as unpublished dissertations
and manuscripts. By doing so, I hope to make this page valuable to professional
historians, as well as casual visitors.
