Sommer Is Shilling W-15490 Copper Mule Kenney-3 Dickeson Copy

Coin Details

Description

A copper mule of the Sommer Islands Shilling series cataloged as W-15490 and Kenney-3 in the Dickeson copy program. This represents the third cataloged mule variety in the Kenney classification, struck in copper with a different die combination than Kenney-1 (W-15480). The Sommer Islands Dickeson copy mule series demonstrates the prolific nature of Dickeson's reproduction program. Multiple obverse and reverse dies existed for the Sommer Islands shilling, and various combinations of these dies produced distinct mule varieties. Each Kenney number represents a unique die pairing, allowing collectors to distinguish between different mule configurations. Copper was one of Dickeson's more practical choices for mule production, being durable enough to survive handling while remaining economical to produce. The W-15490/Kenney-3 copper mule can be differentiated from the Kenney-1 copper mule (W-15480) by examining the specific die characteristics on each side — subtle differences in the hog, ship, lettering, or border details distinguish each pairing. Collectors of Sommer Islands copy material consider the complete Kenney mule series an important subset of Dickeson's output. Each mule variety tells a story about the dies available, the production methods used, and the preferences of 19th-century Philadelphia collectors who valued comprehensive variety sets.

Rarity Notes

Rare. A distinct mule variety from Kenney-1, with its own die pairing characteristics.

Cross References

W-15490; Kenney-3; Dickeson Copy Mule series; Original: Sommer Islands Shilling, circa 1616