Q.David Bowers
Voce Populi Coinage
Voce Populi coppers, mostly of halfpenny size, although some were made of the smaller farthing denomination, are believed to have been struck as a speculative venture in Dublin, Ireland, by a Mr. Roche in 1760. The legend VOCE POPULI is somewhat similar to VOCE POPOLI, or "the voice of the people" found on the Georgius Triumpho token dated 1783. As such, they have been adopted by American numismatists, although there is no evidence to suggest that Voce Populi pieces, which bear the legend HIBERNIA (Ireland) on the reverse, ever circulated to any extent on the North American continent. There are several different busts portrayed on various die varieties of the halfpenny issues. Robert Vlack theorizes that among those represented may be George II, George III, a pretender who claimed to be James III, the young pretender Charles Edward, and Hely Hutchenson (provost of Dublin College). He further notes that the raised letter "P" which appears on some issues in front of the bust or below it may relate to "Princeps" as pertaining to Charles Edward, or "Provost" as relating to Hely Hutchenson. All pieces were intended to bear the 1760 date, although due to an engraving error the numeral 6 on one halfpenny was cut as a 0, thereby given an erroneous "1700" date. This die was later altered by putting a tail on top of the zero, transforming it to the correct 6.
Mark Newby's St. Patrick's Coinage
Mark Newby, a Quaker tallow merchant, arrived in New Jersey on November 19, 1681, with a group of emigrants from Dublin, Ireland. He brought with him a quantity of coins known as St. Patrick's halfpence. Newby, who subsequently became a member of the New Jersey State Legislature, influenced the province of New Jersey to pass an act on May 8, 1682, which provided:
That Mark Newby's half-pence, called Patrick's [sic] half-pence, shall from and after this said 18th instant, pass for half-pence current pay of this Province, provided he, the said Mark, give sufficient security to the Speaker of this House; for the use of the General Assembly from time to time being, that he the said Mark, his executors and administrators, shall and will change the said half-pence for any pay equivalent, upon demand: and provided also that no person or persons be hereby obliged to take more than five shillings in one payment.
Thus, by legislative act, these pieces became legal tender in New Jersey. The coins were produced in two denominations, the halfpenny and farthing. The obverse of the halfpenny depicted a kneeling king playing an Irish harp, with a crown above.During the coinage process these pieces, made of copper, had a small piece of brass inserted at the crown point so as to give it a golden appearance. The legend reads: FLOREAT REX ("may the king flourish"). The reverse depicts St. Patrick standing, surrounded by a group of followers, and with a shield. The legend notes: ECCE GREX ("behold the flock").
While the original records refer only to the halfpenny denomination, smaller pieces designated today as farthings were also made. The obverse design is similar to the halfpenny and depicts a kneeling king with an Irish harp. The reverse is different and depicts St. Patrick standing with a church to the right and vanquished serpents to the left, apparently a reference to St. Patrick driving the snakes from Ireland. The legend QUIESCAT PLEBS ("may the people be peaceful") surrounds. It is not known whether farthings were subsequently imported into the New Jersey province or whether they arrived the same time the halfpennies did. Apparently the farthings were not specifically authorized as legal tender.
Speculation concerning the origin of the Mark Newby pieces has been rife for several centuries. Various numismatists and writers, beginning with Evelyn in 1697, attributed them to Charles II. Silver impressions of Mark Newby issues, which exist and which are rare, were considered to be special medals.
In 1724 Bishop Nicholson attributed them to the coinage of Charles I and noted that "they are still common in copper and brass," and "are current for half pence and farthings."
In 1726 Leake noted that the pieces were issued in the time of Charles I "by the Papists, when they rebelled in Ireland and massacred the Protestants."
In 1749 Simon considered the pieces to be coins issued by rebels, around 1642, during the reign of Charles I. Observing the silver impressions of the Mark Newby coinage, he wrote:
It is thought that they were struck as medals, but for my part I think they were struck upon the same occasion, and intended by the Kilkenny Assembly to pass for shillings. Dr. Robert Cane observed "that it was minted upon the continent for the use of the Confederate Assembly," and "was transmitted to Kilkenny to be there distributed." He believed the pieces were not of English or Irish origin but came from the European mainland.
Other authorities from time to time have considered the pieces to be of native Irish origin, bearing as they do the arms of the city of Dublin.
Don Taxay, writing in Scott's Catalogue and Encyclopedia of United States Coins, postulates that the pieces were made during the reign of King Charles I, with the dies being engraved by Briot of the Royal Mint in London. He cites as evidence the similarity of the portrait of King David on the Mark Newby issues to that found on a pattern halfpenny of Charles I by Briot (recorded by C. Wilson Peck as variety 362).
Today, copper impressions of the halfpenny and farthing are regularly encountered in collections. Silver specimens, sometimes referred to as patterns, were perhaps intended to be shillings by the issuer, as many are found badly worn. A unique specimen known in gold may have been intended for use as a sovereign.
Virginia Coinage
The April 10, 1606, the charter granted by King James to Virginia specifically provided for the coinage privilege:
And that they shall or lawfully may establish and cause be made a coin, to pass current there between the people of the several colonies for the more ease of traffic and bargaining between and amongst them and the natives there, of such metal, and in such manner or form, as the several councils there shall limit and appoint.
No native coinage was ever produced as a result.
Coins in Virginia were a mixture of British, Spanish, Dutch, and other issues, with British predominating. On November 20, 1645, the Virginia colony passed legislation permitting 10,000 pounds weight of copper to be produced in the values of two, three, six, and nine pence, as a substitute for tobacco which was then used for small change and circulation. No action was taken under the authorization.