Table of Contents

Editor's Preface

The First Numismatic Artwork in Puerto Rico Arises From Sedition An Investigation Into "LIGHT" Countermarked 8 Reales (1795)
by Ángel O. Navarro Zayas, Ph.D.

Grenada's Bitts: A French Creation Due to the Independence War (1780)
by Jérôme Jambu

The 1787 Standing Indian / New York State Arms Cent Pattern A Census of Known Specimens
by Jeff Rock

John Harper, J.G. Hancock, and the Washington Cents
by Julia H. Casey

Four Eighteenth-Century Stamp Acts and the Differing Political Responses to Them
by Roger A. Moore MD

Editor's Preface

Welcome to another dynamic issue of JEAN. I had hoped that a portion or all of this issuewould be in color, but that has been delayed until the next issue when we shall present an articleof landmark significance by a well-known and respected leader in the numismatic community.Until then, you must be satiated with Julia Casey's article on John Harper, one of the mostconsequential monographs ever to appear in JEAN or CNL. As expressed in these pages, I am adevotee of the theory that many numismatic questions that vex us can be resolved throughbiographical research. One need look no further than Gary Trudgen's body of work to validatethis view. In the absence of direct primary source evidence, we are left to nibble about the edgesto taste the truth.

Many researchers, Ye Editor included, have whispered about John Harper for years,feeling he was the unknown orchestral conductor of a colonial numismatic symphony. A saw-maker by trade, Harper is a ghostly figure, moving in and out of our consciousness but alwayswith his finger in one numismatic pie or another. One moment, he is in New Jersey making statecoppers and preparing minting equipment; the next, he is in England on a secret mission to bringengravers to America, followed by a kerfuffle with the fledgling U.S. Mint's employees thateventually involved Congress. Always on the go, always scheming, when it came to pre-federalcoins, John Harper was, as Lin-Manuel Miranda might say, "in the room where it happened."Then, he disappeared, seemingly vanishing into thin air, neither to be seen nor heard from again.Who was he, what was his role in the various mints, and what can his story tell us about ourcollective numismatic heritage? I have been gathering data on him for years, asking questions,urging others to dig deeper, all with little gain, until now.

Supersleuth Julia Casey has cracked the case wide open. Harper's story leads us to atreasure trove of numismatic records and connections, answering questions we did not evenknow to ask or wrongfully thought were put to rest. Our editorial team worked overtime on thispiece, gathering images for Julia from New Jersey to England. Guest editors like Roger Siboniwere brought in to review the manuscript and provide expert feedback. Now, it is in oursubscribers' hands to contemplate the conclusions and the story's long-term significance. Yehumble Editor says bravo and shouts, "Numismatic article of the year"! JEAN exists to provide aforum for deep numismatic research like this.

What other gems await inside this edition? How about a virtual vacation from our coldwinter climate to the Caribbean islands' warm, crystal-blue waters? Dr. Ángel O. Navarro Zayas,our resident expert on all things Puerto Rico, brings us a charming little article on the firstnumismatic artwork from that island. It is a piece that tells us a great deal about Europeanpotentates' fears and hysteria after King Louis XVI lost his head. The other West Indiesmonograph is from none other than Professor Jérôme Jambu from Le Havre NormandyUniversity, who tells us of cut coins in the Lesser Antilles. These distinguished and learnedgentlemen have one thing Ye Editor lacks-mastery of a European tongue other than English.When researching and writing about the numismatic history of the Caribbean, bilingualism is aprerequisite to discovering something new and significant. Google Translate does not cut it. Weare fortunate to have these men in our stable of contributors. They broaden our southern horizonsinto the vital tropic colonies. With incredible hubris, many Americans look back at history andfocus on the thirteen original English colonies in North America, focusing on them to theexclusion of all else. The Spanish Main, with its silver and gold, and the lush islands, with theirsugar and other cash crops, were the economic engines of the New World, not the ruralbackwater that would become America.

After our lovely excursion to the warm sands of the exotic islands, we return to America.Waiting for us in New York Harbor is Jeff Rock, who has authored an essential census of the1787 standing Indian / New York State Arms cent patterns. A catalogue raisonné of this coinageis long past due. Jeff continues to thrill us with his in-depth research and writing skills. He is afavorite of our subscribers, a selfless contributing editor of JEAN, and a friend. He has mademany praiseworthy contributions to American colonial numismatics, and many of these smallerseries would go unexplored were it not for his curiosity and intellect.

The final piece is from Dr. Roger Moore, who explores tax stamps. If it were not for theimposition of these stamps, there might not be an America as we know it. The struggle overthese levies ignited scuffles that led to the Shot Heard Round the World at Lexington. Such anarticle stretches the definition of numismatics. However, we cannot understand the coins we lovewithout understanding the milieu from which they arose. Moreover, the great interest in therecent paper money Happenings table at the November C4 Baltimore convention is a testamentthat the colonial numismatic community has a great interest in such things. Ye Editor, forexample, collects spoons produced by silversmiths who also made coins and tokens. Moreover,like tax stamps, numismatically connected items such as silver spoons, letters, and legaldocuments have appeared in many auction catalogs alongside coins. If presented with an articleon any such miscellany with a numismatic bent, we would print it. Thus, we bring you thissignificant monograph on colonial-era tax stamps.

As the year ends, I extend my deepest gratitude to JEAN's editorial staff. Without thehundreds of hours of volunteer service from the individuals listed in the front of this publication,none of what we do would be possible. We don't do it for pay; we do it out of love for our hobby.

Until our next issue, I wish you good health and success in your collecting and researchendeavors.

Christopher R. McDowell, Esq.
Cincinnati, Ohio

Chris McDowell adds:

For more information on the American Numismatic Society, see:
http://numismatics.org/

For more information on the Journal of Early American Numismatics, see:
https://numismatics.org/about-us/publications/journals/