JOURNAL OF EARLY AMERICAN NUMISMATICS

The second issue of the Journal of Early American Numismatics (JEAN) has been published and mailed to subscribers. At 211 pages, JEAN 1.2 features six articles by four authors. Gary Trudgen presents a series of three pieces: “Walter Mould: Convicted Felon,” “The People vs. Counterfeit Coppers,” and “Samuel Atlee’s New York City Brewery and Mint.” David Gladfelter writes about the origins of the Colonial Newsletter in “From Little Acorns.” Journal editor Christopher McDowell corrects the previous scholarship on Rhode Island Ship Medals with his deep-dive, “A New Look and Fresh Theory on the Origins of the Rhode Island Ship Medal.” John Kleeberg closes out the issue with new evidence and interpretation in “The Continental Dollar: British Medals or American Coins?”

Annual subscriptions are $60 plus $5 s/h. Subscribers receive two issues per year (over 400 pages of content) in June and December. To subscribe, email Emma Pratte at the American Numismatic Society (epratte@numismatics.org) or call 212.571.4470 x117. ANS Full, Foreign, and Life Associate Members (both new and renewing) may elect to receive JEAN instead of the American Journal of Numismatics.

JEAN accepts submissions on early American numismatics (from all of the Americas) on a rolling basis. If you have an article or would like to pitch one, email a one-page abstract for consideration to editor Christopher McDowell at CRMcDowell@strausstroy.com.

I wish to highlight Gary Trudgen’s article on Walter Mould, which I believe will be particularly interesting to those who collect and study New Jersey coppers. While we always knew Walter Mould was a scoundrel, the true depth of his criminal activity in England has not been fully understood until now. In this article, Trudgen, who has spent decades studying these men, reveals how Mould’s criminal past caught up with him after he was awarded the New Jersey coining contract. A well-placed article in a New York newspaper by Mould’s enemies exposed his past causing his partners in the New Jersey coining enterprise to abandon him just as he had abandoned his wife and children to poverty and death back in England. This article explains for the first time the true events that led to the fracture of the New Jersey coining contract – it is a must read for anyone interested in New Jersey coppers and colonial numismatics.

At the present time, I am very busy working on the June 2019 issue of JEAN. I have already received six fantastic articles for publication in June and expect several others. In all honesty, the June 2019 issue of JEAN is shaping up to be the most significant issue of The Colonial Newsletter / JEAN in its over 50 year history. I am more excited about this next issue of JEAN than any previous issue. Our subscriber base has almost doubled in the past two years and I believe that the recent changes to the journal have resulted in it finally starting to realize its true potential. The future looks very bright for this publication!