A US Colonial issue 1652 XII Massachusetts oak tree shilling...

Hammer

£1,600

A US Colonial issue 1652 XII Massachusetts oak tree shilling, holed.

NB - The colony of Massachusetts was an early success but a shortage of coinage put it in jeopardy. John Hull and Robert Sanderson took matters into their own hands and set up a mint in 1652, striking coins in shillings, sixpences and three pences all bearing the date 1652. Some believe the date to be the founding of the colony and the reverse of the coin depicting the pine tree as the main export was for timber and ships masts. Coinage was a prerogative of the king but in 1652 there was no king as King Charles had been beheaded three years earlier. The coinage circulated and was widely accepted around the North East, however in 1682 the mint closed after Royal scrutiny of the operation.

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Holed as stated, date good some patches of wear noted