This Record-Breaking 1652 Massachusetts Threepence is a Piece of Early American History

This New England threepence, struck within weeks of establishing the first mint to be opened in the Massachusetts colony AND the future United States, is the only example known outside of a museum.

Stack's Bowers Galleries

A 1652 Massachusetts threepence shattered records at auction at Stack’s Bowers Galleries, selling for $2.52 million and captivating numismatists and history buffs alike. This extraordinary coin is one of only two known to exist. The tangible connection to America’s colonial past set a new record for an American coin minted before the Revolution—the prior record was $646,250 for coinage struck before the American Revolution.

The coin was discovered in 2016 inside an old cabinet in Amsterdam. It was accompanied by a note reading, “Silver token unknown/ From Quincy Family/B. Ma. Dec, 1798,” suggesting a connection to the Quincy family of Boston. This family included Abigail Adams, wife of John Adams, the second U.S. president. The coin, the size of a modern-day nickel, weighs only 1.1 grams and has a present silver market value of $1.03.

The coin’s discovery and subsequent sale have not only highlighted its rarity but also shed light on the boldness of the Massachusetts Bay Colony during the mid-17th century. The coin is among the earliest coins produced in the colonies and is tied directly to the formation of the Boston Mint in 1652, a pivotal moment in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. At the time, British colonies were prohibited by the monarchy from minting their own currency, and establishing the mint was a defiant assertion of independence.

Small Planchet Pine Tree shillings were well produced and struck on high-quality metal. This coin sold at a 2019 Stack’s Bowers auction for $10,800.

Stack's Bowers Galleries

Coins produced at the Boston Mint are exceptionally scarce. Between 1652 and 1682, silver threepence, sixpence, and shillings were struck in four distinct designs. Among these, the Pine Tree shillings, such as this one sold in 2019 by Stack’s Bowers for $10,800, are the most renowned and abundant, minted during the final decade of the mint’s operation. The rarest of these coins, called the NE 1652 series, features a simple “NE” for New England and their value in Roman numerals (III, VI, or XII). The threepence is the rarest of these NE coins, making it a prized treasure for collectors.

The auction of the threepence by Stack’s Bowers Galleries set a new record and reaffirmed the cultural and historical value of colonial American artifacts. Its staggering price underscores the significance of these objects in telling the story of early American resilience and ingenuity. This rare currency, born out of the Boston Mint’s bold move against the British crown, now stands as a celebrated artifact of America’s colonial heritage.

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Tags: Collectible