1652 Colonial Pine Tree Shilling PCGS MS-62 Pine Tree, Large Planchet

In 1652, the Massachusetts Bay Colony boldly launched America’s first coinage with the Pine Tree Shilling, a response to rampant counterfeiting that threatened trade. The Noe-5 variety, the finest traceable example of its kind, boasts a charming backward N on the reverse, adding a touch of naïve allure. Struck from 1652 to 1682 under mint masters John Hull and Robert Sanderson, these silver shillings, sixpences, threepences, and later twopences were the “aristocrats” of colonial currency. Housed on Hull’s estate, the mint likely used dies crafted by Joseph Jenckes, who supplied tools like steel punches. To prevent “clipping or washing,” the coins featured a double-ringed design with “Massachusetts” and a pine tree on one side, “New England” and the fixed date 1652 on the other, plus a secret mark to thwart counterfeiters. Circulating from Canada to the West Indies, these coins marked a audacious step for a colony of just 3,000 souls in a vast, untamed America.

The Noe-5, while common in Very Fine grades (20-35), is scarce in higher grades, with only a few About Uncirculated to Mint State examples known. Identified by a die break through the M in DOM, it shares deteriorating dies with Noe-4 and Noe-6, making differentiation tricky for collectors. Its handsome design and rustic charm captivate numismatists, reflecting the Puritans’ practical yet hopeful spirit. The coins’ aesthetic, with a finely engraved pine tree and balanced inscription, evokes a cameo-like quality, as noted in historical accounts, making them highly sought-after by type collectors.

For a small colony of 16 towns surrounded by native peoples deemed “savages” by settlers, minting coins was a daring assertion of identity. The Noe-5’s scarcity in high grades underscores its value as a tangible link to this era of peril and promise. At over 370 years old, these coins embody the ingenuity of Boston’s Puritans, who, against daunting odds, forged a new economic path in a wild, uncharted land.