Currency and Banking in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay
Andrew McFarland Davis

Davis's two volume treatise on the currency history of colonial Massachusetts was the best piece of historical research done on colonial currency during his generation. Originally published in 1900, it was republished by Augustus Kelley in 1970. Volume one of the set covers currency, while volume two covers banking. Converting the work to electronic text is a major job, which is far from finished. The chapters that are finished are accessible below.

CURRENCY AND BANKING

IN THE PROVINCE OF THE

MASSACHUSETTS BAY

BY

ANDREW McFARLAND DAVIS

Volume 1 -- Currency

• Chapter I. The Colony Bills. The Province Bills
• Chapter II. The Massachusetts Coinage, Proclamation Money and Lawful Money
• Chapter III. The Currency Conflict under Dudley and Shute
• Chapter IV. The Contest under Dummer and Burnet
• Chapter V. The Currency, 1702-1750. Depreciation and Remedial Legislation
• Chapter VI. Enforcement of the Royal Instructions during Belcher's Administration
• Chapter VII. The Struggles during Belcher's Time to Check the Depreciation
• Chapter VIII. The Inflation under Shirley
• Chapter IX. Attempts at Adjustment of Debts
• Chapter X. The Lords of the Treasury favor Reimbursement for the Louisburg Expedition and Parliament passes the Grant
• Chapter XI. The Delivery of the Money is Delayed and Obstructed
• Chapter XII. The Money Paid and Specie Payments Resumed
• Chapter XIII. Parliament and Bills of Public Credit in the Colonies
• Chapter XIV. The Engraved Plates and their Various Alterations. The Colony Bills and the Old Tenor
• Chapter XV. The Engraved Plates and their Various Alternations. The First, Second and Third New Tenor, and the 1750 Bills
• Chapter XVI. Where Specimens of the Massachusetts Bills are Preserved
• Chapter XVII. The Emissions of the Neighboring Governments. -- New Hampshire
• Chapter XVIII. The Emissions of the Neighboring Governments -- Rhode Island
• Chapter XIX. The Emissions of the Neighboring Governments -- Connecticut
• Chapter XX. The Lesson in Economics
• Chapter XXI. The Currency and the Politics of the Province
• Chapter XXII. Sources of Authority used herein and a few words as to the Study of the Currency in other Colonies.

Volume II -- Banking

• Chapter I. What the English knew abut Banking, 1600-1650
• Chapter II. English Views about Banking, 1650-1675
• Chapter III. The incorporation of the Bank of England settles the question
• Chapter IV. The influence of English publications in America
• Chapter V. The Bank of 1686; The Bank of 1714; and the Currency discussion
• Chapter VI. The Connecticut Land Bank; The Boston Merchants' Notes of 1733; The New Hampshire Merchants' Notes
• Chapter VII. The Land Bank of 1740 and The Silver Bank
• Chapter VIII. The Discussion, 1730-1740
• Chapter IX. The Closure of the Land Bank; The First Commission
• Chapter X. The Closure of the Land Bank; The Second Commission; The Lottery; The Third Commission; The End
• Chapter XI. The General Court and Land Bank Litigants
• Chapter XII. The Political Effects of the Closure of the Land Bank.

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