Counterfeit coins run rampant

1740
“Casting was one method used to produce counterfeit coins in Britain and America during the colonial period. Basically it consisted of melting metal and then pouring the molten liquid into a mold having a reservoir in the shape of a coin. When the metal in the mold hardened a coin was formed. Casting produced fewer and less desirable coins than stamping but it did not require a large capital investment nor was a skilled diemaker necessary therefore it was the preferred production method for most smaller counterfeiting operations. Almost all British counterfeit coppers through the 1740's were produced by casting; thereafter larger scale operations moved to presses while smaller concerns continued casting.”