Counterfeiting in Colonial America [Paperback]

Kenneth Scott (Author), David R. Johnson (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 15, 2000

"It is not surprising that counterfeiting flourished. The combination of a generally inefficient law enforcement system, the gradual proliferation of colonial issues to copy, and the reliance on private citizens to prosecute criminals made it difficult to capture, prosecute, or punish counterfeiters. Indeed, counterfeiting in American entered a kind of golden age beginning in the early eighteenth century, an age that would last for roughly a hundred and fifty years." —from the Foreword

In the thriving commercial centers of colonial America, merchants could be paid in Spanish doubloons, British pounds, or any of the currencies each colony produced. Such a diversity of monetary forms encouraged some citizens to try their hands at counterfeiting. But the penalties for counterfeiting were harsh. Each colonial government saw it as a serious crime and meted out a variety of punishments, from cropping of ears to the gallows.

Scott examines the prevalence of counterfeiting in colonial America and the difficulties the authorities had in tracking down the offenders. He brings to life the many colorful figures who indulged in this nefarious practice, including organized gangs from Massachusetts to South Carolina, such as the members of the Dover Money Club and numerous women practitioners, including Freelove Lippincott and Mary Peck Butterworth. One of the book's most important themes is that counterfeiting was ubiquitous, transcending socioeconomic, ethnic, and gender lines. Counterfeiters had innumerable ways to practice the art, as Scott shows in illustrative detail. In a final chapter, Scott assesses counterfeiting during the Revolution, when the British government found it an effective means for undermining the fledgling national economy. The book reveals ways to determine whether notes or coins are fake. First published in 1957, Scott's research on early counterfeiting has yet to be superceded.

As much a social history of colonial America as it is a richly peopled narrative of one of the world's oldest crimes, Counterfeiting in America is sure to appeal to scholars, numismatists, and general readers alike.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Kenneth Scott taught at Wagner College and is the author, among many other works, of Counterfeiting in Colonial New York and Counterfeiting in Colonial Pennsylvania. David R. Johnson is Associate Vice Provost for Academic Affairs at the University of Texas at San Antonio and author of Illegal Tender: Counterfeiting and the Secret Service in Nineteenth-Century America.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press (February 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812217314
• ISBN-13: 978-0812217315
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,054,559 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An outstanding and unique contribution to American history., July 3, 2000

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Counterfeiting in Colonial America (Paperback)

This coverage of an aspect of early American history and culture will delight readers researching this era. Kenneth Scott's Counterfeiting In Colonial America reviews the law enforcement system of the times, liberal attitudes toward counterfeiters, and the prevalence of counterfeiting during the times. From individuals who made a high art of the practice to how counterfeiting transcended social and political boundaries, this provides an intriguing coverage.

5.0 out of 5 stars Counterfeiting in America, May 9, 2009

By 

Thomas Pray "Thomas Pray" (NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Counterfeiting in Colonial America (Paperback)

This is an excellent book with many unknown details of Counterfeiting in the 18th century. It explains
how Counterfeiting was easily done, the ambivalence of the judicial system, and tells of some of the more
interesting characters involved. I thoroughly enjoyed the Owen Sullivan segment. I had many questions about
early counterfeiting and had been unable to find the answers till I read this book. Kenneth Scott did a great job in explaining all the aspects of the subject he writes about. I highly recommend this book to those studying the
early colonial period.