"1652" Penny Pine Tree - Silver Wyatt Copy Noe-O

Coin Details

Auction Record

$780 MS63 08-24-2023 Stack's Bowers

Description

A silver copy of a Massachusetts Pine Tree Penny created by James W. Wyatt of London, designated Noe-O in the standard reference. Like the copper version, this represents a fantasy denomination, as the original Hull Mint in Boston produced Pine Tree coinage only in threepence, sixpence, and shilling values. The silver composition matches the metal of the genuine series while applying it to a denomination that never existed. Wyatt's silver Pine Tree Penny is a more ambitious piece than its copper counterpart, as the precious metal content gives it greater intrinsic and collectible value. The Pine Tree design is rendered on a penny-sized flan, maintaining the essential elements of the colonial original: the pine tree (symbol of Massachusetts and of the colony's resistance to royal authority), the denomination, and the perpetual 1652 date. The Noe-O designation places this piece within the systematic Noe catalog of Massachusetts silver coinage and its derivatives. The original Pine Tree coinage has a rich history. John Hull was appointed mintmaster in 1652, and the pine tree design was adopted as the third and final motif after the simpler NE and Willow Tree series. The pine tree symbolized the colony's economic self-sufficiency and became an enduring emblem of New England. Wyatt's penny-denomination copies extend this legacy into creative territory. Silver Wyatt Pine Tree Pennies cataloged as Noe-O are scarce and represent the premium end of his fantasy denomination production. They are valued by colonial reproduction collectors and by those assembling comprehensive Noe reference collections.

Rarity Notes

Rare. Silver fantasy pennies with the Noe-O designation are less common than copper versions and are highly sought by specialists.

Cross References

Noe-O (Wyatt copy); Noe reference: Massachusetts Silver Coinage; Original: Pine Tree coinage 1652 (1667-1682)