1652 Shilling Pine Tr Lg Pl Pellets at trunk Massachusetts Pine Tree PCGS AU53

1652 Shilling Pine Tr Lg Pl Pellets at trunk Massachusetts Pine Tree PCGS AU53
PCGS # 45369
Grading Service PCGS
Grade AU53
Mint Location Philadelphia
Year
Designation NONE
Strike Business
Grade Add On NONE
1652 Shilling Pine Tr Lg Pl Pellets at trunk Massachusetts Pine Tree PCGS AU53
1652 Shilling Pine Tr, Lg Pl, Pellets
SKU: 52063761
A certified and highly desirable early American classic, this 1652 Massachusetts “Pine Tree” Shilling represents the famous Large Planchet, Pellets at Trunk variety, cataloged as Noe-1, among the most celebrated issues of the Massachusetts silver series. Certified PCGS AU53, this example offers the combination collectors seek in colonial coinage: strong historical importance, pleasing originality, and solid mid-grade scarcity, with a reported PCGS population of just 4 examples in AU53 and only 15 finer.
The obverse displays the iconic pine tree at center, the enduring emblem of Massachusetts Bay, surrounded by the abbreviated legend “MASATHVSETS IN,” an early spelling of Massachusetts and New England’s assertion of local identity. On the reverse appears the denomination and date, “1652 XII,” within a beaded inner border, with the surrounding inscription “NEWENGLAND AN DOM.” The “XII” denotes twelve pence, or one shilling. As a Noe-1 Large Planchet piece, this variety is distinguished by the small pellets flanking the trunk below the branches, a diagnostic feature noted only on this variety among the Large Planchet shillings.
This AU53 example is especially appealing for the grade. The strike is characteristically bold in the legends and central devices, with the pine tree sharply defined and the denomination and date on the reverse plainly rendered. The broad, wavy flan is typical of the rocker-press manufacture used for these issues, and the irregular shape only enhances the piece’s unmistakable colonial character. Both sides retain attractive silver-gray surfaces with warm, lightly olive and champagne undertones, while circulation is moderate and even, leaving the design crisp and the overall appearance notably wholesome. Surface quality appears honest and original, with none of the distractions that often plague this challenging series.
Few coins better capture the story of early American commerce and autonomy than the Pine Tree coinage. Although all pieces bear the date 1652, the Massachusetts Bay Colony continued striking them for years thereafter, retaining the original date as a political convenience after English objections to unauthorized colonial coinage. The legends translate simply to “Massachusetts” and “New England,” making the coin an unmistakable product of the colony’s effort to provide a stable silver medium for local trade. Today, Pine Tree Shillings stand among the foundational issues of American numismatics, avidly pursued by colonial specialists, type collectors, and students of pre-Federal history alike.
Within the series, the Large Planchet coins are especially admired for their impressive fabric and full visual presence, and the Pellets at Trunk variety enjoys added attention as a distinct and readily attributable subtype. While Noe-1 is regarded as one of the more obtainable Large Planchet varieties, it is never inexpensive in problem-free certified grades, and attractive About Uncirculated pieces remain perennially in demand. The combination of a famous early American type, clear variety attribution, and a low certified population at this grade level gives the present coin strong collector appeal.
An important and visually satisfying Massachusetts silver issue, this 1652 Pine Tree Shilling is a premium representative of one of colonial America’s most iconic coin types.