1652 Threepence Pine Tree - No Pellets

Coin Details

Description

A die variety of the Pine Tree threepence lacking the decorative pellets found on other dies in the series. The clean fields surrounding the pine tree on the obverse and the III denomination on the reverse provide the primary diagnostic for identifying this variety, distinguishing it from dies that feature pellets as additional field ornaments. The obverse presents the pine tree within MASATHVSETS IN on the tiny threepence planchet, while the reverse carries III and NEW ENGLAND AN DOM 1652. At approximately 17 millimeters, the threepence is the smallest format on which the full suite of Massachusetts colonial design elements appears, and the absence of pellets gives the design a spare, uncluttered quality within its miniature frame. Attributing pellet varieties on threepence-sized coins presents particular challenges. The small size means that pellets, when present on other dies, are themselves very small and can be difficult to distinguish from die scratches, planchet imperfections, or other marks acquired during production or circulation. Confident attribution of the No Pellets variety requires a specimen with sufficient remaining detail in the fields to confirm that pellets are genuinely absent rather than worn away. Pine Tree threepences in any variety represent one of the more challenging acquisitions for Massachusetts colonial collectors. Their tiny size made them the denomination most susceptible to loss during daily use, and centuries of attrition have reduced the surviving population to levels that make even the more common die varieties genuinely scarce. The No Pellets variety is sought by specialists building comprehensive die variety collections of Massachusetts colonial silver.

Rarity Notes

Rare die variety within the already scarce Pine Tree threepence type.

Cross References

Noe (consult Salmon revision); Crosby