In a message dated 97-10-22 14:31:20 EDT, you write:

<<
 Can anyone out there provide any information on when New Yorkers stopped
 using the British system of pounds, shilling, and pence? In 1797 the state
 legislature officially endorsed the decimal dollar system established by
 Congress in the 1792 Coinage Act, but I seem to recall that some people
 continued to use the British system as late as the 1820s. I have no
 idea why, however.

 Ted Burrows
 Department of History
 Brooklyn College

  >>

It is my understandng of the period that many different currencies were in
use in NYC during the colonial period.  Therefore the individual person had
to be familar with the various values of Dutch, English, US coins, etc. and
trelative exchange rate in order to do business.  I believe banks even issued
paper currency written on them.  Need-to-say some of these were worthless.
 Considering this as a starting point I think we can asume that the change
over to US coinage as the sole currency was gradual.

Jim Maguire
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