(1659) Lord Baltimore Maryland Sixpence

Coin Details

Description

The most available denomination in the Lord Baltimore Maryland colonial series, the sixpence is cataloged across multiple die varieties: Hodder 1-A (W-1030), Hodder 2-B (W-1052), and Hodder 2-C (W-1062), with additional references in Breen 68-71. Researcher Michael Hodder documented two obverse dies and four reverse dies producing five distinct varieties in silver, along with copper examples held by the British Museum. The obverse displays Lord Baltimore's portrait facing left — Cecil Calvert, second Baron Baltimore and Proprietor of Maryland — while the reverse shows the Baltimore family coat of arms quartered with the Crossland arms, accompanied by the Roman numeral VI indicating the sixpence denomination. Authorized by Cecil Calvert under the proprietary charter granted by King Charles I, the Maryland coinage was struck in London around 1659 and represents one of the most significant colonial American coin series. A hoard of 19 sixpences sold by Morton & Eden, Ltd. in London in November 2002 provided an unusual opportunity for collectors to acquire examples and temporarily increased market supply. Despite being the most available Lord Baltimore denomination, the sixpence remains genuinely scarce in absolute terms, with the five documented die varieties in silver allowing specialists to pursue a complete die variety set — a challenging but achievable goal given the sixpence's relatively higher survival rate compared to the extremely rare penny, fourpence, and shilling denominations.

Rarity Notes

The most available Lord Baltimore denomination. Five die varieties known in silver. A hoard of 19 sixpences was sold by Morton & Eden, Ltd. in London in November 2002.

Cross References

Hodder 1-A/W-1030, Hodder 2-B/W-1052, Hodder 2-C/W-1062, Breen 68-71