Historical Background
In the 16th century, England followed Roman Catholicism, under the authority of the Pope.
When King Henry VIII sought a divorce that the Pope refused to grant, he broke away from Rome and founded the Church of England (1534) — known as the Anglican Church.
Though independent, it still retained many Catholic traditions and rituals.

By the 17th century, some believers felt the Church of England remained too similar to Catholicism. They wanted to purify worship and follow only the Bible — these reformers were called Puritans. Among them, a smaller group insisted on completely separating from the state church. They were the Separatists — later known as the Pilgrims. Persecuted for their faith, they were fined, imprisoned, and banned from worship gatherings.

In 1608, they fled to the Netherlands seeking religious freedom. Life was difficult there, and fearing cultural loss, they decided to sail to the New World. In 1620, about 102 Pilgrims boarded the Mayflower and reached today’s Massachusetts after two harsh months at sea. Before disembarking, they signed the Mayflower Compact — one of the earliest democratic self-governance agreements in North America, emphasizing collective rule and mutual respect.

The first winter was devastating — over half of the settlers died. With the help of the Wampanoag tribe, they learned to farm and fish. In 1621, they held a feast to thank God and their Native American friends — the first Thanksgiving, now an enduring American tradition of gratitude and faith.

In 1920, marking the 300th anniversary of the Pilgrims’ landing, the U.S. issued the Pilgrim Tercentenary postage series: 1¢ The Mayflower, 2¢ Landing of the Pilgrims, and 5¢ Signing of the Compact. Later, the Franklin Mint released this 22kt gold replica edition, honoring the Pilgrims’ spirit of faith, courage, and pursuit of freedom.

This 22kt gold replica set features two of the three commemorative designs — Mayflower (1¢) and Landing of the Pilgrims (2¢) — both in excellent condition.

Note: This 22kt gold replica set from the 1920 Pilgrim Tercentenary Issue includes two of the three commemorative designs — 1¢ Mayflower and 2¢ Landing of the Pilgrims. The set does not include the 5¢ Signing of the Compact stamp, which commemorates the Mayflower Compact and the foundation of self-governance in the New World.