Sommer Is Shilling W-15480 Copper Mule Kenney-1 Dickeson Copy

Coin Details

Description

A copper mule of the Sommer Islands Shilling series cataloged as W-15480 and Kenney-1, produced as part of the Dickeson copy program. The Kenney numbering system provides an additional layer of cataloging for the various mule combinations created using Sommer Islands copy dies, complementing the Whitman (W-) numbers. This copper piece pairs Sommer Islands shilling dies in a mule configuration — using obverse and reverse dies that were not intended as a matched pair. The Kenney-1 designation identifies it as the first cataloged mule variety in the Kenney classification. The copper composition gives the piece a warm reddish tone that can develop an attractive patina over time. Mule varieties in the Dickeson copy series arose from the multiple die combinations possible when several obverse and reverse dies existed for the same denomination. Whether these mules were intentional products created for collectors who valued unusual die pairings, or whether they resulted from accidental mixing during production, is not always clear. In either case, they have become collectible varieties in their own right. The Kenney-1 copper mule is sought by advanced collectors assembling comprehensive sets of Sommer Islands copy and mule varieties. The dual cataloging under both the Whitman and Kenney systems reflects the complexity and collector interest in this specialized area of colonial reproduction numismatics.

Rarity Notes

Rare. Copper mule varieties are scarcer than standard Dickeson copies and are primarily collected by Sommer Islands specialists.

Cross References

W-15480; Kenney-1; Dickeson Copy Mule series; Original: Sommer Islands Shilling, circa 1616