American Plantation Tokens – 1688

A Token Minted Right Before the Glorious Revolution

Nearly one hundred years before the War for Independence with Great Britain, the British crown authorized coinage to be struck for use in the British colonies in America. Produced during the reign of King James II, these coins (or tokens) were struck off nearly pure tin in England. A Royal Grant was made to Richard Holt in 1688 to strike these coins for the Crown.

Holt received this grant because he represented a number of owners of tin mines and he petitioned the King for the right to produce these tokens to be used in the British colonies in America. These American Plantation tokens were comprised of 97.5% tin and 2.5% brass. Upon receiving royal approval, Holt hired an engraver named John Rottier to create the design and cut the dies.

The coins were denominated as 1/24^th Real meaning that they were valued at 24 coins equaling one Spanish Real. The obverse of the coin depicts King James II on horseback. Surrounding the periphery is an abbreviated Latin Legend: “IACOBVS. II. DG. MAG. BRI. FRAN. ET. HIB. REX” which translates to “JAMES II BY THE GRACE OF GOD KING OF GREAT BRITAIN, FRANCE AND IRELAND.”

The reverse depicts the four crowned shields of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, beginning clockwise at the top. The shields are linked with chains and the Latin inscription: ”VAL.24.PART.REAL.HISPAN.” which translates to “VALUE TO A 24^TH PART OF A SPANISH REAL.”

There have been seven different obverse and seven different reverse dies used to strike these tokens. Literally within several weeks of these coins being struck and shipped to the Colonies in America, King James II was “ousted” in what has become known to history as the “Glorious Revolution.” With King James II’s departure, the production of these tin coins for the Colonies ceased.

In 1828, a London coin dealer named Matthew Young acquired several pairs of the Rottier dies and he struck restrikes in pewter. These specific restrikes display a large die crack in the right obverse field and are nearly as rare as the original tokens.

The original coins, because they are comprised of 97.5% tin can develop black oxidation spots when exposed to moisture and/or cold.

There are four major varieties of original coins and one restrike pairing. The five major varieties are all listed in the Red Book – A Guide Book of United States Coins. 

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