1652 Shilling Pine Tree - No Pellets

Coin Details

Description

A die variety of the Pine Tree shilling distinguished by the absence of pellets (small decorative dots) in the design field. While several Pine Tree shilling dies feature pellets flanking the tree or near the denomination, this variety presents a clean field without these additional elements, relying solely on the tree, legend, and beaded borders for its visual composition. The obverse shows the straight-trunked pine tree within MASATHVSETS IN, and the reverse displays XII and NEW ENGLAND AN DOM 1652, all without the decorative pellets found on other dies in the series. The absence of pellets creates a somewhat more austere appearance that some collectors prefer for its cleaner aesthetic. Pellet presence and absence is one of the standard diagnostic features used in Massachusetts colonial die attribution. Because pellets were individually punched into the die, their omission represents a deliberate choice by the die engraver — either a preference for a simpler design or an indication that this die was prepared by a different hand than the pellet-bearing varieties. Tracking these choices across the full run of Pine Tree dies helps researchers group dies by engraver and estimate the chronological sequence of production. The No Pellets variety may exist on either or both planchet sizes (large and small), and collectors should note the planchet format when attributing individual specimens. Pine Tree shillings as a class are the most available of the three tree types, having been produced over a longer period (c. 1667-1682), but specific die varieties range from relatively obtainable to extremely rare depending on the number of coins struck from each die pair before it was retired.

Rarity Notes

Rare. Specific scarcity depends on the die combination; some No Pellets pairings are scarcer than others.

Cross References

Noe (consult Salmon revision for specific die pairing); Crosby