Note: The following is part of a series of columns looking at how hard currency was introduced in Georgia and Bulloch County.

    Throughout Georgia, there always seemed to be a shortage of small change. In order to meet this need, private paper change bills — also known as "shinplasters" — were printed, ranging in values from 25 to 75 cents.
    The State of Georgia applied taxes of up to
20 percent to each of these change-bills. Then, the legislature declared that signers of the change-bills had to pay three times the face value of the bills when they were redeemed.
    Furthermore, if the signer failed to pay this fine, the holder of the note could sue for an extra 25 percent of the bill's value in court. This still wasn't enough to stop their use.
    Augusta, Macon and Savannah issued "city notes" (or cityplasters) so residents wouldn't use the privately printed "shinplasters." Between 1800 and 1860, more than 1,500 private currencies were used throughout Georgia.

Georgia's Gold Rush
    Northern Georgia's "Gold Rush" took place in 1828. Eventually, nearly 200 mines were opened in the vicinity of Dahlonega, whose name in Cherokee meant "Yellow Money." 
    All told, some 27 tons of gold was mined here. Stories in the "Western Herald" of Auraria, Georgia, reported 30-pound rocks being found full of golden nuggets "from the size of a peppercorns to that of a marble."
    The Georgia government became much more interested in confiscating the Cherokees' lands in Georgia once the full extent of gold became evident, prompting their "Trail of Tears" removal in 1838.

Templeton Reid: Georgia's First Coiner
    Templeton Reid, a resident of Milledgeville, decided to start minting Georgia gold coins from the now easily obtainable, relatively cheap and crudely refined local gold dust in 1830.
    According to an issue of the "Southern Recorder" printed July 24, 1830, "About $1,500 worth of Georgia Gold has been stamped by our very ingenious citizen, Templeton Reid … in parcels of $2.50, $5, and $10."
    Shortly thereafter, Reid moved his operation to Gainesville, Georgia, which was only 10 miles away from the mines.  As Reid was using crude methods to refine his 'Native Georgia" gold, his coins weren't exactly pure gold.

Reid a rip-off?
    In a letter written by "No Assayer" to the "Georgia Courier" published on August 16, 1830, Reid was accused of selling $10 gold coins, which were actually worth, at market value, only $9.38.
    The "Georgia Courier" editors themselves then entered the fray, declaring that Reid was "making about $15,000 per annum. This is better business than gold digging."
    The writer's accusation that Reid "cared not for the Constitution of the United States or the value of gold" effectively ended Reid's successful gold business. Reid returned to making cotton gins and firearms.
    Many people shaved gold from the coin's sides to keep some of the gold, forcing merchants to inspect each gold coin's weight for this type of "wear," as it lowered the coins value.
   
    Roger Allen is a local lover of history. Allen provides a brief look each week at the area's past. Email Roger at rwasr1953@gmail.com.