Images(2)

Oak Tree Shilling

Dateca.1660-1667

Maker John Hull & Robert Sanderson

OriginAmerica, Massachusetts, Boston

MediumSilver

DimensionsDiameter: 26.5 mm Weight: 71.6 grains

Credit LineMuseum Purchase, Lasser Numismatics Fund

Object number2016-60

DescriptionObverse: Oak tree within beaded circle, outer legend 'MASATHVSETS IN" within beaded border (partial).

Reverse: Legend "NEW ENGLAND . AN . DOM" within beaded border, date "1652" and denomination "XII" within beaded circle at center (partial).
Label TextAlthough the mint working in 17th century Boston was not known for the high quality of its products, few examples of the "Oak Tree" series were as poorly produced as this coin. With a tad more than half of the design pressed into the silver disc, it is clearly defective, and should have been relegated to the melting pot. Thankfully, it wasn't, and this rare coin survives to tell us what the blank "planchets" that were used by the Massachusetts mint looked like. The un-struck half of the coin shows us that previous to striking, the planchets were anything but smooth. Vertical striations suggest that Hull and Sanderson were using rollers to flatten out strips of silver prior to cutting out the blank coin planchets.

Noe-1, Salmon 1-A