1 Pine Tree Shilling, United States, 1652

Description (Brief):

One (1) pine tree shilling coin

Description (Brief)

Massachusetts, 1652

Description (Brief)

Obverse Image: Pine tree.

Description (Brief)

Obverse Text: MASATHVSETS / IN

Description (Brief)

Reverse Image: N/A

Description (Brief)

Reverse Text: NEW ENGLAND / AN DOM / 1652 XII

As early as 1650, the colony of Massachusetts Bay was a commercial success. But an inadequate supply of money put its future development in jeopardy. England was not inclined to send gold and silver coins to the colonies, for they were in short supply in the mother country.

Taking matters into their own hands, Boston authorities allowed two settlers, John Hull and Robert Sanderson, to set up a mint in the capital in 1652. The two were soon striking silver coinage-shillings, sixpences, and threepences. Nearly all of the new coins bore the same date: 1652.

This was the origin of America's most famous colonial coin, the pine tree shilling. The name comes from the tree found on the obverse. It may symbolize one of the Bay Colony's prime exports, pine trees for ships' masts. Massachusetts coinage not only circulated within that colony, but was generally accepted throughout the Northeast, becoming a monetary standard in its own right.

Why the 1652 date? Some believe that it was intended to commemorate the founding of the Massachusetts mint, which did occur in 1652. Others believe the choice was a reflection of larger political events. Coinage was a prerogative of the King. In theory, these colonists had no right to strike their own coins, no matter how great their need.

But in 1652, there was no king. King Charles had been beheaded three years previously, and England was a republic. The people in Massachusetts may have cleverly decided to put that date on their coinage so that they could deny any illegality when and if the monarchy were reestablished.

This "1652" shilling is likely to have been minted around 1670. In 1682, the Hull/Sanderson mint closed after closer royal scrutiny of the operation.

Date On Coin: 1652Date Made: 1667 - 1674

Maker: Massachusetts Bay Colony

Place Made: United States: Massachusetts

See more items in: Work and Industry: National Numismatic Collection, Coins, Numismatics, Coins, Currency and Medals, Legendary Coins

Exhibition: The Value of Money

Exhibition Location: National Museum of American History

Related Publication: Zoomable Image and Details, Feingold, Ellen R.. Value of Money, The

Credit Line: Emery May Holden Norweb

Data Source: National Museum of American History

Id Number: 1982.0798.0009Catalog Number: 1982.0798.0009Accession Number: 1982.0798Catalog Number: 82.48.09

Object Name: coin

Physical Description: silver (overall metal)0 (overall die axis)0 (overall die axis measurement)struck (overall production method)Measurements: overall: .1 cm x 2.8 cm; 1/32 in x 1 3/32 in

Guid: http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a9-2d80-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

Record Id: nmah_1082064

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