1652 Shilling Pine Tree - Lg. Planchet - No H

Coin Details

Description

A die variety of the large planchet Pine Tree shilling notable for the omission of the letter H from the obverse legend, which normally reads MASATHVSETS IN. The missing H — which should appear in "MASATHVSETS" (the period spelling of Massachusetts) — indicates that the die sinker either forgot to punch this letter or deliberately omitted it, running short of space or working from an inconsistent template. The obverse shows the pine tree surrounded by the incomplete legend, while the reverse carries the standard XII denomination and NEW ENGLAND AN DOM 1652. On a large planchet specimen with sufficient remaining detail, the absence of the H can be confirmed by carefully tracing the letter sequence around the obverse periphery and comparing it against complete-legend varieties. Spelling variations and missing letters are relatively common across the Massachusetts colonial silver series, where the legends were built up letter by letter using individual punches. The colony's name was rendered in various forms — MASATHVSETS, MASATHVSETTS, MASATVSETS, and other variants — reflecting both the unsettled orthography of the seventeenth century and the practical difficulties of manual die production. Each spelling variation creates a distinct die and, by extension, a collectible variety. The No H variety contributes to the reconstruction of die production at the Hull Mint by establishing that this particular die was prepared with an oversight that went uncorrected. Whether the error was noticed at the time cannot be known, but the fact that coins were struck from this die and entered circulation confirms that the standard for acceptable die quality was practical rather than perfectionist — a characteristic that gives Massachusetts colonial silver much of its charm and historical character.

Rarity Notes

Rare die variety. Missing-letter varieties are notable diagnostics within the Pine Tree shilling series.

Cross References

Noe (consult Salmon revision); Crosby