The Swift Rebuke of the Rosa Americana Coins of 1722-1733
King James II of Great Britain had authorized coinage for the American colonists as early as 1688 but little came of this first attempt. An entrepreneur named Richard Holt had obtained permission from the King to strike tin coins for the colonies and a fair number were made. Before they could be sent to America, however, the King was overthrown and most of the coins were melted or used at home. None were used in America.
It was not until the early 1720s that a fresh venture was undertaken, this time with better luck, though not by much. William Wood (1671–1730), a self-made industrialist, sought fresh challenges and a chance to make additional money. A leader in the copper and iron industry of western England, he decided to use this to his advantage.
With the death of Queen Anne in 1714, George I became king and ruled until his death in 1727. Wood approached the Board of Trade, in charge of colonial commercial affairs, and asked for permission to make coins for America. He was told that such permission could only come from the King and it was necessary to get George’s
