Hello, I have a coin,which is a 1652 pine tree shilling.Masschset, this coin weighs about 6.2 grams. Can you please tell me anything about it. Thanks.
Assuming it is genuine, it was made between 1667 and 1682 and has a value of about $400 to more than $15K depending on condition. If you could post photos then we might be able to help with the grade and therefore give a more accurate value.
Hi Ben. Welcome to the forum. Statistically, the odds are pretty good that you have either a contemporary counterfeit, or even more probably a replica. Neither the Red Book nor the Standard Catalog of World Coins gives any information about weight of the Massachusetts Colony Pine Tree coinage, but there are two planchet sizes, (22-26mm and 27-31mm), which makes the weight of your coin suspect, unless it is on the very smallest planchet. By comparison, modern U.S. half dollars are just under 31mm, and weigh 11.5-12.5g, so the expected weight of the shilling would be in the vicinity of 8g small/12g large. There are many different varieties, commonly including reversed or missing letters, and a couple of die sizes. According to Krause, the large die/small planchet variety is believed to be a contemporary fake. If at all possible, please post clear pictures of both sides of your coin.
Ben? Did you find anything out about your 1652 shilling? Did you find anything out about your 1652 shilling? Was it authentic? I just found one also.
I ALSO HAVE A 1652 mass shilling , Hi, I have had this 1652 shilling, massachusetts XII in my collection for a while and have had dealers look at it and say that it is authentic, just thought since i had just joined this site and saw this post that i would post some pictures of it. Get back to me at EDITED--Not a good idea to post your email address i have also sent this out to get graded. thanks
Sorry, I believe that those dealers were mistaken and that the imaged item is a copy. If the grading company is legitimate, I expect that they will return the coin as "not genuine".
The new Eureka Springs mint, Moffatt & Co. will soon be issuing high quality reproductions of the 1652 Massachusetts Pine Tree Three-pence: PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION FEBURARY 7TH, 2008 MOFFATT & CO. REACHES AGREEMENT TO PRODUCE GALLERY MINT PRODUCTS Moffatt & Co. Extreme Custom Minting of Eureka Springs, AR. has announced that they have reached a manufacturing agreement with Martin Roenigk of Eureka Springs, the new owner of the Gallery Mint’s dies used to produce the line of Gallery Mint US coin reproductions. Mr. Roenigk purchased the rights, dies, and most of the antique minting equipment from surviving Gallery Mint owner Ron Landis in early January. Mr. Roenigk, owner of the historic Crescent and Basin Park hotels in Eureka Springs and a well known area preservationist, purchased the dies and equipment to keep them from leaving Eureka Springs as there were other interested parties. “The numismatic art that was created by Gallery Mint is a very important part of the history of Eureka Springs and it would have been an unfortunate blow to the artistic legacy of the community to have these works of art taken and produced elsewhere,” stated Mr. Roenigk. Plans are to one day open a historical mechanical museum type attraction in Eureka Springs. Moffatt & Co. will be providing technical support when this project is ready to launch. Through this exclusive agreement Moffatt & Co. will be producing most Gallery Mint products. This agreement will also allow Moffatt & Co. to utilize design elements of these classic US coin replicas so that professional numismatists, and numismatic clubs and organizations can also create custom coins and medals with these original Gallery Mint classic US coin designs. Moffatt & Co. partner Timothy Grat, who was Chief-Coiner with the Gallery Mint for 10 years, will assure that all quality standards regarding materials and manufacturing instituted by Gallery Mint will be maintained, in addition to honoring the quantities of any previously released limited issues. Scheduled for immediate production is a previously unreleased, Ron Landis engraved, 1652 Massachusetts Pine Tree Three-pence. Soon to follow will be the Gobrecht Dollar, with main design devices sculpted by former US Mint artist Thomas Rogers, also known as the sculptor for the reverse of the Sacajawea dollar, the Massachusetts, Maryland, and South Carolina state quarters, as well as many other collectable commemorative coins, Congressional and U.S. Mint medals. For further information please contact Moffatt & Co. toll free at 866-530-MINT (6468), sales@moffattandco.com, or www.moffattandco.com.
Here's an image of the Pine Tree coins that Ron Landis engraved: http://www.gmmnut.com/gmm/gmm21.html#tree
well... well if thats the case, thats pretty miserable haha. Time will tell when it or if it gets rejected from the grading service. thanks
Roy, According to Coinfacts, the small size planchet weighs 56.2 grains (or about 3.66 grams) and the large size planchet weighs 72.1 grains (or about 4.67 grams)! Based on 6.2 grams the OP's coin weighs in at around 95 grains and is well over weight for the known specimens! I don't know the exact compositions of the coins but they were probably made from pewter possibly mixed with another metal or tin mixed with another metal which would account for the low weight of know specimens. Frank
