Funding the Revolution: Gold and Silver Coins Circulating in 1776

Instructor: Jesse Kraft

What gold and silver coins circulated in 1776 as the United States declared its independence from Great Britain? In this National Coin Week presentation, we cover what coins were then in circulation, how Congress procured them, and why a large portion of the gold and silver in the country was then exported. While the famous paper Continental Currency was used to fund operations in the 13 states and keep the economy in order, gold and silver played a crucial role in keeping the Red Coats at bay in the borderlands of the country in the initial stages of the war.