20 Shillings, Massachusetts, 1690

Massachusetts Bay Colony · 1690-02-03

Shortages of coins in colonial America motivated colonists to mint and print their own money. In 1652 the Massachusetts colony produced the first colonial American coins, and in 1690 it issued the first colonial paper money as well. Colonial banknotes were vulnerable to counterfeiting and tampering. This note was likely altered from its original denomination – two shillings sixpence – to 20 shillings after it was issued. Despite the challenges of producing currency, colonists’ efforts to do so demonstrated their increasing autonomy from Great Britain.