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NEW ENGLAND
The Massachusetts Bay Colony authorized the
first metallic currency to be struck in 1652
containing 22 1/2 percent less silver than the
coins made in England.
Joseph Jenks, the first Iron founder, made the dies for the first coins at his Ironworks mill in Saugus, Mass.
The Shilling, 6-pence and 3-pence were minted by John Hull in Boston who was paid one Shilling three-pence for every 20 shillings coined.
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PINE TREE
This is the last of the ‘Tree Money” minted by John Hull. The Willow Tree was first, then the Oak, & now the Pine Tree. So the coins became known as “Tree Money”. Even though the coins were minted for 30 years, all the denominations were dated 1652. This was an illusion to give the coins the appearance of having been struck during the confusion in England, because the Massachusetts Bay Colony was not authorized to coin money at that time.
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MA –2 |
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PINE TREE COPPER
Little is known about the origin of this Pine Tree piece, dated 1776. The front has a pine tree with the letters 1dLM at its base with a inscription,
Massachusetts State. On the reverse a figure intended to represent the Goddess of Liberty, resting on a globe holding a liberty cap & a staff with a dog sitting at Her feet. Liberty & Virtue surround the Figure.
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MASSACHUSETT’S CENT AND
HALF CENT
Under the direction of Joshua Witherle coinage of the Massachusetts copper cent & half-cent was minted in 1787 & 1788. The mint was located in his home at 1132 Washington St. in East Waltham, Ma. These were the first coins bearing the denomination “cent” as established by
Congress. Most of the dies for these copper coins were made by Joseph Callender & also Jacob Perkins of Newburyport, Ma. The mint was abandoned in 1789 in compliance with the newly ratified Constitution.
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Ma-4 & 4b |
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MASSACHUSETT’S JANUS HALFPENNY 1776
This coin dated 1776 is often referred to as the Janus Copper or Janus Half- Penny. On the obverse it shows a 3-sided head with faces looking forward, left, & right. The mythological god Janus had only 2 faces, looking right & left (the month of January is named for him; one face looks to the old year, one to the new.) This is a unique pattern piece. The only known specimen sold for $40,000 in 1979.
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OAK TREE
This is the second in a series of “Tree Money” that John Hull coined from 1660-1668 & like the Willow Tree, they had the year 1652, because the colonists were afraid they would be in trouble with the new King of England, Charles II for striking their own coins. The Oak Tree series were an improvement on their predecessors, being much sharper & bolder, & turned out in far larger quantities than the previous Massachusetts coins. They were struck in denominations of Shilling, 6-Pence, 3-pence & 2-pence.
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WILLOW TREE
The colonists of Massachusetts were in need of coinage so the Massachusetts Bay Colony opened up an illegal mint in Boston in 1652. Joseph Jenks was hired to make the dies at his Iron Mill in Saugus, Mass. John Hull, a goldsmith was hired as mintmaster. Since people were “clipping” around the edges of the NE Shillings for the silver & then trying to pass it off at the same value. The General Court in October of 1652 authorized that all coins have a double ring on either side with the inscription Massachusetts, & a tree in the center for the obverse & New England & the year of our Lord on the reverse. Even though this coin was minted in 1653-1660, all the coins had the same year of 1652, so they would not get into trouble with England for making their coins.
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