Maryland Coins

About This Coin

Authorized by Cecil Calvert, the second Lord Baltimore and Proprietor of the Colony of Maryland, these silver coins represent one of the earliest and most significant colonial American coinage series. Struck at the Royal Mint in England around 1659, Maryland Coins encompass four denominations — the penny (denarium), fourpence (groat), sixpence, and shilling — each bearing Calvert's portrait on the obverse and the Baltimore family coat of arms on the reverse. The series stands apart from other colonial issues because it was authorized under the proprietary charter granted by King Charles I, giving Lord Baltimore unusual sovereignty over his colony's monetary affairs. The coins were produced in limited quantities, with the penny being the rarest denomination (only 7-9 examples known) and the sixpence the most accessible to modern collectors. Each denomination is marked with its value in Roman numerals — IIII, VI, and XII — on the reverse alongside the heraldic shield. The Maryland coinage predates most other American colonial coin series and provides a direct numismatic link to the English aristocratic governance of colonial settlements. Within the Pre-1776 States Coinage (1652-1774) series, Maryland Coins hold foundational importance, and the discovery of new die varieties by researcher Michael Hodder has enriched scholarly understanding of this landmark colonial issue.