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- (1652) SHILNG New England Shilling AU55 NGC. Noe 1-A, W-40, Salmon 1-B, R.7. 72.0 grains. On this remarkable shilling, alignment is just shy of 180 degrees. Similar to the sixpence, it shows russet patina on lovely light-gray surfaces. Minor radial cracking of the flan is evident on both sides, with trivial surface roughness. Very slight wear appears on the high-points of the NE and XII punches, with the second I weaker than the X, or the first I. Design Like the sixpence, the NE shillings had the origin and denomination stamps punched by hand on imperfectly round blanks. Three NE punches and four XII punches were combined to form six different varieties that are listed in Salmon's reference. He rates five of the varieties R.7, and one R.8. In the Whitman Encyclopedia of Colonial and Early American Coins, Bowers gives estimates ranging from URS-3 to URS-6, indicating between 44 and 76 known survivors. Historical Observations The silver used for the coin production was obtained locally, with a portion of the Mint Act of May 27, 1652 requesting that bullion be brought by "all persons whatsoever have liberty to bring into the mint house at Boston all bullion plate or Spanish coin." The pieces would be melted, assayed, refined, and then cast into strips by mint master John Hull in order to produce coins for the owner of the silver. The initial NE coinage was produced for only a short period, although a substantial number of coins were likely minted. The NE coins were replaced with the more elaborately designed pieces known as the Willow Tree series after the General Court issued orders to include a tree on one side of the new coins along with the word "Massachusetts," with the date and "New England" to appear on the reverse. The minimal style of the NE series, with simple designs, made them easily susceptible to clipping. Although the dates on the coins do not reflect it, except for the Oak Tree twopence, dated 1662, the Massachusetts Silver coinage was minted for approximately thirty years. Mint operations likely ceased a year or so prior to King Charles II annulling the Massachusetts Bay Colony's charter in 1694, establishing it as a royal colony. Numismatic Commentary An exceptional piece, the obverse of this Choice AU survivor exhibits the diagonal of N being thick, becoming thicker past the point where the right stand of the N intersects it. A die scratch extends from the middle bar of the E. The XII punch on the reverse is high, with the X being the highest and the second I being the lowest. The October 2005 Ford sale contained a single example of the Noe 1-A variety, with that piece described as "Choice Very Fine." Another outstanding collection of 180 Massachusetts silver coins, the Hain Family Collection, sold in January 2002, lacked the Noe 1-A combination. Numerous other well-known collections were absent a Noe 1-A specimen, including Roper and Norweb. This appearance provides an exceedingly rare opportunity to not only acquire a Noe 1-A example, but an extraordinary and noteworthy specimen as well. Provenance Ex: Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society. Realized $352,500.00. Description courtesy of Heritage Auctions.
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- (1652) SHILNG New England Shilling AU55 NGC. Noe 1-A, W-40, Salmon 1-B, R.7. 72.0 grains. On this remarkable shilling, alignment is just shy of 180 degrees. Similar to the sixpence, it shows russet patina on lovely light-gray surfaces. Minor radial cracking of the flan is evident on both sides, with trivial surface roughness. Very slight wear appears on the high-points of the NE and XII punches, with the second I weaker than the X, or the first I. Design Like the sixpence, the NE shillings had the origin and denomination stamps punched by hand on imperfectly round blanks. Three NE punches and four XII punches were combined to form six different varieties that are listed in Salmon's reference. He rates five of the varieties R.7, and one R.8. In the Whitman Encyclopedia of Colonial and Early American Coins, Bowers gives estimates ranging from URS-3 to URS-6, indicating between 44 and 76 known survivors. Historical Observations The silver used for the coin production was obtained locally, with a portion of the Mint Act of May 27, 1652 requesting that bullion be brought by "all persons whatsoever have liberty to bring into the mint house at Boston all bullion plate or Spanish coin." The pieces would be melted, assayed, refined, and then cast into strips by mint master John Hull in order to produce coins for the owner of the silver. The initial NE coinage was produced for only a short period, although a substantial number of coins were likely minted. The NE coins were replaced with the more elaborately designed pieces known as the Willow Tree series after the General Court issued orders to include a tree on one side of the new coins along with the word "Massachusetts," with the date and "New England" to appear on the reverse. The minimal style of the NE series, with simple designs, made them easily susceptible to clipping. Although the dates on the coins do not reflect it, except for the Oak Tree twopence, dated 1662, the Massachusetts Silver coinage was minted for approximately thirty years. Mint operations likely ceased a year or so prior to King Charles II annulling the Massachusetts Bay Colony's charter in 1694, establishing it as a royal colony. Numismatic Commentary An exceptional piece, the obverse of this Choice AU survivor exhibits the diagonal of N being thick, becoming thicker past the point where the right stand of the N intersects it. A die scratch extends from the middle bar of the E. The XII punch on the reverse is high, with the X being the highest and the second I being the lowest. The October 2005 Ford sale contained a single example of the Noe 1-A variety, with that piece described as "Choice Very Fine." Another outstanding collection of 180 Massachusetts silver coins, the Hain Family Collection, sold in January 2002, lacked the Noe 1-A combination. Numerous other well-known collections were absent a Noe 1-A specimen, including Roper and Norweb. This appearance provides an exceedingly rare opportunity to not only acquire a Noe 1-A example, but an extraordinary and noteworthy specimen as well. Provenance Ex: Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society. Realized $352,500.00. Description courtesy of Heritage Auctions.
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- (1652) 6PENCE New England Sixpence AU58 NGC. Noe 1-A, W-10, Salmon 1-A, R.7. 36.6 grains. Die alignment on this outstanding example is 180 degrees, known as "coin turn" in modern numismatics. Thus, the obverse and reverse punches are at opposing points. The flan is imperfectly round, and a few scattered marks are seen, as would be expected for a handmade early Massachusetts silver piece. Pewter-gray dominates the substantial blank surfaces, with some subtle russet patina present. Design The NE pieces represent coin-making in its most basic, and historic, form: punching simple elements into a blank piece of metal to provide the location of origin (NE for New England), and the denomination of value (VI for sixpence or XII for shilling). In The Silver Coins of Massachusetts, Christopher J. Salmon writes: {blockquote}"New England coinage was well made, with well-executed stamped elements indicating origin and denomination. ... The punches would probably have been hit sharply with a large hand-held hammer with the cold flan placed on the surface of a large steel anvil embedded in a tree trunk, according to standard silversmith methods of the time."{/blockquote} The obverse punch appears to be doubled on the Newman piece, so that it does not match other examples, although the outline of the cartouche is identical on the several known specimens. The obverse punch combines thin and thick elements on Noe 1-A. The top of the reverse punch, consisting of the left and right tops of the V and the top of the I, are level on the 1-A. The other variety, Noe 2-B, has the obverse punch composed of thin elements only, and the top of the I is distinctly below the top of the V. Historical Observations For many years, colonial Massachusetts and other areas lacked coinage, with other means of exchange in use at that time, including bartering and the use of Native American wampum. People often did not have access to any hard currency, which made it difficult to transact business, including payment of transportation fees, wages, taxes, etc. In 1635, the General Court enacted a law enabling the use of full-bore musket balls in place of farthings, with limitations on how many may be accepted at one time. Standards were established regarding the value of various commodities, including meat, grain, and vegetables for the payment of taxes. The use of commodities was problematic for a number of reasons, including the substitution of inferior products, the difficulties of transporting and storing the material, and the limited shelf life. The fur trade was an important component of the economy; however, by the mid-1640s, the number of animals bearing useful fur was disappearing, with the value of wampum declining during that same period due to the diminished number of furs and the rising population. Trade was increasing between Boston and the West Indies, leading to the importation of other currencies, including counterfeits, clipped coins, and debased Spanish coins minted in Potosi. Finally, on May 27, 1652, the Massachusetts Bay Mint Act was passed, establishing a mint in Boston. Among the provisions, the act read (original spelling preserved): {blockquote}"That all persons what soeuer have liberty to bring in vnto the mint howse at Boston all bulljon plate or Spannish Cojne there to be melted & brought to the allay of sterling Silver by John Hull master of the sajd mint and his sworne officers, & by him to be Cojned into 12d : 6d : & 3d peeces which shall be for forme & flatt & square on the sides & stamped on the one side with N E & on the other side wth the figure XIId VId & IIId - [peeces which shall bee] according to the valew of each peece, together with a privy marke - which shall be Appointed euery three months by the Gouernor & known only to him & the sworne officers of the mint."{/blockquote} The coins were originally specified to be square, perhaps in an attempt to have the coinage of the colonies appear inferior to British coins. The initial version of the Act also stated that the Massachusetts silver coins would have less intrinsic value than their British counterparts, by three pence, but that was amended to two pence. Therefore, a Massachusetts shilling would have a value of 12 pence, but would only equate to 10 pence in British money, which would help prevent the money from leaving the Colonies since foreign merchants would not want to accept shillings that were underweight. The Act also made English and Massachusetts coins legal tender, with no one under obligation to accept coins from elsewhere. John Hull A 10-year-old John Hull arrived in Boston with his parents, Robert and Elizabeth, on November 7, 1635, sailing from Bristol, England. His father was a blacksmith, and undoubtedly imparted some of that knowledge to his son. When Hull was 27 years old and had been married to Judith Quincy for five years, he became the "master of the mint." A diary entry from John Hull ("Diary of John Hull," Transactions and Collections of the American Antiquarian Society, Vol. Ill, p. 142) reads: {blockquote}"After we here arrived, my father settled at Boston; and, after a little keeping at school, I was taken from school to help my father plant corn, which I attended for seven years together; and then, by God's good hand, I fell to learning (by the help of my brother), and to practicing the trade of a goldsmith, and, through God's help, obtained that ability in it, as I was able to get my living by it."{/blockquote} In addition to his roles as goldsmith and mint master, Hull was a very successful merchant. He was extensively involved in the shipping industry, transporting items such as beaver skins, codfish, and lumber products. The General Court designated him treasurer for the colony, a position he occupied from 1676 to 1680. Numismatic Commentary While the NE coins are the most basic type of coinage, these pieces are clearly the most important coins in the history of the American colonies. There is no question that they were the first produced coins of the Massachusetts series, and they are the first coins actually minted in the New World. Sydney Noe comments: {blockquote}"The N E shillings and fractions have a very real claim to our interest because they undoubtedly were the first coins struck by the Massachusetts colony and have limits which can be definitely dated from the records."{/blockquote} Noe identified two varieties of the NE sixpence. This Noe 1-A variety is considered the genuine NE sixpence. The second variety, Noe 2-B, is thought to be a contemporary counterfeit, or perhaps a 19th century copy. We are aware of seven examples of Noe 1-A and three examples of Noe 2-B, with two of the former and one of the latter in museum collections. Some past studies have suggested an anomalous weight as the key to identification of the Noe 2-B as a circulating counterfeit, although the weights recorded in our census fail to point out the difference. Several pieces are below the 36 grain standard, and the weight of the Newcomer-Ford example of Noe 2-B is above it. The Eric P. Newman example of Noe 1-A is the closest at 36.6 grains, and almost exactly matches the weight standard. Eric P. Newman's NE sixpence is undoubtedly an original strike of this first truly American coinage. It is the finest surviving example, and its historical importance cannot be overemphasized. Provenance Ex: Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society. Census of Noe 1-A NE Sixpence 1. AU58. Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society. 36.6 grains. The present coin. 2. XF. Roper Collection (Stack's, 12/1983), lot 8. 33.8 grains. 3. XF. Nelson Clarke (donated 1840); British Museum. 4. VF. Charles Ira Bushnell (Chapman Brothers, 6/1882), lot 141; Edouard Frossard; Garrett Collection; Johns Hopkins University (Bowers and Ruddy, 10/1980), lot 1201. Noe Plate II, number 3. 33.7 grains. 5. VF. Massachusetts Historical Society; Loye Lauder Collection (William Doyle Galleries, 12/1983), lot 114. Noe Plate II, number 2. 33.4 grains. 6. VF. William B. Osgood Field (7/1946); American Numismatic Society. Noe Plate II, number 1. 31.4 grains. 7. VF, Damaged. Long Island Potato Field; Lillian Rade; Sotheby's (11/1991); Stack's (privately); John "Jack" Royse Collection (Stack's-Bowers, 11/2012), lot 6002. 31.8 grains. Census of Noe 2-B NE Sixpence 1. Waldo Newcomer; T. James Clarke; John J. Ford, Jr.(Stack's, 10/2005), lot 5. Noe Plate II, number 4. 38.3 grains. 2. Ted Craige Estate (Stack's-Bowers, 1/2013), lot 11001. 31.3 grains. 3. Norweb Family; Smithsonian Institution. Realized $646,250.00. Description courtesy of Heritage Auctions.
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- (1652) 6PENCE New England Sixpence AU58 NGC. Noe 1-A, W-10, Salmon 1-A, R.7. 36.6 grains. Die alignment on this outstanding example is 180 degrees, known as "coin turn" in modern numismatics. Thus, the obverse and reverse punches are at opposing points. The flan is imperfectly round, and a few scattered marks are seen, as would be expected for a handmade early Massachusetts silver piece. Pewter-gray dominates the substantial blank surfaces, with some subtle russet patina present. Design The NE pieces represent coin-making in its most basic, and historic, form: punching simple elements into a blank piece of metal to provide the location of origin (NE for New England), and the denomination of value (VI for sixpence or XII for shilling). In The Silver Coins of Massachusetts, Christopher J. Salmon writes: {blockquote}"New England coinage was well made, with well-executed stamped elements indicating origin and denomination. ... The punches would probably have been hit sharply with a large hand-held hammer with the cold flan placed on the surface of a large steel anvil embedded in a tree trunk, according to standard silversmith methods of the time."{/blockquote} The obverse punch appears to be doubled on the Newman piece, so that it does not match other examples, although the outline of the cartouche is identical on the several known specimens. The obverse punch combines thin and thick elements on Noe 1-A. The top of the reverse punch, consisting of the left and right tops of the V and the top of the I, are level on the 1-A. The other variety, Noe 2-B, has the obverse punch composed of thin elements only, and the top of the I is distinctly below the top of the V. Historical Observations For many years, colonial Massachusetts and other areas lacked coinage, with other means of exchange in use at that time, including bartering and the use of Native American wampum. People often did not have access to any hard currency, which made it difficult to transact business, including payment of transportation fees, wages, taxes, etc. In 1635, the General Court enacted a law enabling the use of full-bore musket balls in place of farthings, with limitations on how many may be accepted at one time. Standards were established regarding the value of various commodities, including meat, grain, and vegetables for the payment of taxes. The use of commodities was problematic for a number of reasons, including the substitution of inferior products, the difficulties of transporting and storing the material, and the limited shelf life. The fur trade was an important component of the economy; however, by the mid-1640s, the number of animals bearing useful fur was disappearing, with the value of wampum declining during that same period due to the diminished number of furs and the rising population. Trade was increasing between Boston and the West Indies, leading to the importation of other currencies, including counterfeits, clipped coins, and debased Spanish coins minted in Potosi. Finally, on May 27, 1652, the Massachusetts Bay Mint Act was passed, establishing a mint in Boston. Among the provisions, the act read (original spelling preserved): {blockquote}"That all persons what soeuer have liberty to bring in vnto the mint howse at Boston all bulljon plate or Spannish Cojne there to be melted & brought to the allay of sterling Silver by John Hull master of the sajd mint and his sworne officers, & by him to be Cojned into 12d : 6d : & 3d peeces which shall be for forme & flatt & square on the sides & stamped on the one side with N E & on the other side wth the figure XIId VId & IIId - [peeces which shall bee] according to the valew of each peece, together with a privy marke - which shall be Appointed euery three months by the Gouernor & known only to him & the sworne officers of the mint."{/blockquote} The coins were originally specified to be square, perhaps in an attempt to have the coinage of the colonies appear inferior to British coins. The initial version of the Act also stated that the Massachusetts silver coins would have less intrinsic value than their British counterparts, by three pence, but that was amended to two pence. Therefore, a Massachusetts shilling would have a value of 12 pence, but would only equate to 10 pence in British money, which would help prevent the money from leaving the Colonies since foreign merchants would not want to accept shillings that were underweight. The Act also made English and Massachusetts coins legal tender, with no one under obligation to accept coins from elsewhere. John Hull A 10-year-old John Hull arrived in Boston with his parents, Robert and Elizabeth, on November 7, 1635, sailing from Bristol, England. His father was a blacksmith, and undoubtedly imparted some of that knowledge to his son. When Hull was 27 years old and had been married to Judith Quincy for five years, he became the "master of the mint." A diary entry from John Hull ("Diary of John Hull," Transactions and Collections of the American Antiquarian Society, Vol. Ill, p. 142) reads: {blockquote}"After we here arrived, my father settled at Boston; and, after a little keeping at school, I was taken from school to help my father plant corn, which I attended for seven years together; and then, by God's good hand, I fell to learning (by the help of my brother), and to practicing the trade of a goldsmith, and, through God's help, obtained that ability in it, as I was able to get my living by it."{/blockquote} In addition to his roles as goldsmith and mint master, Hull was a very successful merchant. He was extensively involved in the shipping industry, transporting items such as beaver skins, codfish, and lumber products. The General Court designated him treasurer for the colony, a position he occupied from 1676 to 1680. Numismatic Commentary While the NE coins are the most basic type of coinage, these pieces are clearly the most important coins in the history of the American colonies. There is no question that they were the first produced coins of the Massachusetts series, and they are the first coins actually minted in the New World. Sydney Noe comments: {blockquote}"The N E shillings and fractions have a very real claim to our interest because they undoubtedly were the first coins struck by the Massachusetts colony and have limits which can be definitely dated from the records."{/blockquote} Noe identified two varieties of the NE sixpence. This Noe 1-A variety is considered the genuine NE sixpence. The second variety, Noe 2-B, is thought to be a contemporary counterfeit, or perhaps a 19th century copy. We are aware of seven examples of Noe 1-A and three examples of Noe 2-B, with two of the former and one of the latter in museum collections. Some past studies have suggested an anomalous weight as the key to identification of the Noe 2-B as a circulating counterfeit, although the weights recorded in our census fail to point out the difference. Several pieces are below the 36 grain standard, and the weight of the Newcomer-Ford example of Noe 2-B is above it. The Eric P. Newman example of Noe 1-A is the closest at 36.6 grains, and almost exactly matches the weight standard. Eric P. Newman's NE sixpence is undoubtedly an original strike of this first truly American coinage. It is the finest surviving example, and its historical importance cannot be overemphasized. Provenance Ex: Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society. Census of Noe 1-A NE Sixpence 1. AU58. Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society. 36.6 grains. The present coin. 2. XF. Roper Collection (Stack's, 12/1983), lot 8. 33.8 grains. 3. XF. Nelson Clarke (donated 1840); British Museum. 4. VF. Charles Ira Bushnell (Chapman Brothers, 6/1882), lot 141; Edouard Frossard; Garrett Collection; Johns Hopkins University (Bowers and Ruddy, 10/1980), lot 1201. Noe Plate II, number 3. 33.7 grains. 5. VF. Massachusetts Historical Society; Loye Lauder Collection (William Doyle Galleries, 12/1983), lot 114. Noe Plate II, number 2. 33.4 grains. 6. VF. William B. Osgood Field (7/1946); American Numismatic Society. Noe Plate II, number 1. 31.4 grains. 7. VF, Damaged. Long Island Potato Field; Lillian Rade; Sotheby's (11/1991); Stack's (privately); John "Jack" Royse Collection (Stack's-Bowers, 11/2012), lot 6002. 31.8 grains. Census of Noe 2-B NE Sixpence 1. Waldo Newcomer; T. James Clarke; John J. Ford, Jr.(Stack's, 10/2005), lot 5. Noe Plate II, number 4. 38.3 grains. 2. Ted Craige Estate (Stack's-Bowers, 1/2013), lot 11001. 31.3 grains. 3. Norweb Family; Smithsonian Institution. Realized $646,250.00. Description courtesy of Heritage Auctions.
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- (1615-6) SHILNG Sommer Islands Shilling, Small Sails AU55 NGC. Encyclopedia-1, BMA Type Two, W-11465, High R.5. Ex: Brock. 67.6 grains. Die rotation is about 250 degrees. The Eric P. Newman Sommer Islands shilling is composed of 77% copper, 22% tin, and 1% trace elements. This is a remarkable near-Mint piece with exceptional surfaces. Subtle greenish patina appears on both sides of this dark olive example, with only a trace of wear on the high points. The reverse is imperfectly centered. Design A hog provides the central obverse design motif, with the denomination (in this case XII for 12 pence) above. The Obverse legend reads SOMMER * ILANDS *. The reverse depicts a ship with rigging, sailing through the waves. Two varieties are identified for the Sommer Islands shillings. Both varieties have the top of the sails tilted downward from left to right. The Large Sails variety has the tilt at approximately 60 degrees, pointing to 11 o'clock, and the Small Sails variety has that angle at about 30 degrees, pointing to about 10 o'clock. There are six or seven examples known of the Large Sails variety, and just over 30 examples known of the Small Sails. This is the most plentiful of all the Sommer Islands denominations. Historical Observations The Sommer Islands coins are classic examples of the ancient hammer technique of minting. In its simplest form, one die was fixed to an anvil, which might have ranged from a simple tree stump to a complex holder. The other die was held in place with a planchet between them, and a hammer swung by the same individual or an assistant, striking the top die to produce the coin. Even in modern times, the two dies in a coinage press are labeled the anvil die and the hammer die. Because the anvil die was loose and held in position, dramatic die rotation is a characteristic of the hammer minting technique. Numismatic Commentary Past references frequently refer to the Sommer Islands coins as brass composition, and often silvered. Technological advances have permitted easy access to metallurgical analysis, showing that these coins have a high copper content, and that the "silvering" is actually tin. Spiegel writes: "The planchets were annealed prior to striking and were subsequently hand-struck with a hammer. Some coins were then dipped in molten tin - undoubtedly contemporary to the striking - which would give the appearance of silver." Provenance Ex: Jacob Giles Morris; Col. Robert C.H. Brock; Brock; University of Pennsylvania; Philip H. Ward, Jr; C.J. Dochkus; F.K. Saab; Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society. Realized $258,500.00. Description courtesy of Heritage Auctions.
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- (1615-6) SHILNG Sommer Islands Shilling, Small Sails AU55 NGC. Encyclopedia-1, BMA Type Two, W-11465, High R.5. Ex: Brock. 67.6 grains. Die rotation is about 250 degrees. The Eric P. Newman Sommer Islands shilling is composed of 77% copper, 22% tin, and 1% trace elements. This is a remarkable near-Mint piece with exceptional surfaces. Subtle greenish patina appears on both sides of this dark olive example, with only a trace of wear on the high points. The reverse is imperfectly centered. Design A hog provides the central obverse design motif, with the denomination (in this case XII for 12 pence) above. The Obverse legend reads SOMMER * ILANDS *. The reverse depicts a ship with rigging, sailing through the waves. Two varieties are identified for the Sommer Islands shillings. Both varieties have the top of the sails tilted downward from left to right. The Large Sails variety has the tilt at approximately 60 degrees, pointing to 11 o'clock, and the Small Sails variety has that angle at about 30 degrees, pointing to about 10 o'clock. There are six or seven examples known of the Large Sails variety, and just over 30 examples known of the Small Sails. This is the most plentiful of all the Sommer Islands denominations. Historical Observations The Sommer Islands coins are classic examples of the ancient hammer technique of minting. In its simplest form, one die was fixed to an anvil, which might have ranged from a simple tree stump to a complex holder. The other die was held in place with a planchet between them, and a hammer swung by the same individual or an assistant, striking the top die to produce the coin. Even in modern times, the two dies in a coinage press are labeled the anvil die and the hammer die. Because the anvil die was loose and held in position, dramatic die rotation is a characteristic of the hammer minting technique. Numismatic Commentary Past references frequently refer to the Sommer Islands coins as brass composition, and often silvered. Technological advances have permitted easy access to metallurgical analysis, showing that these coins have a high copper content, and that the "silvering" is actually tin. Spiegel writes: "The planchets were annealed prior to striking and were subsequently hand-struck with a hammer. Some coins were then dipped in molten tin - undoubtedly contemporary to the striking - which would give the appearance of silver." Provenance Ex: Jacob Giles Morris; Col. Robert C.H. Brock; Brock; University of Pennsylvania; Philip H. Ward, Jr; C.J. Dochkus; F.K. Saab; Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society. Realized $258,500.00. Description courtesy of Heritage Auctions.
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- (1615-6) 6PENCE Sommer Islands Sixpence, Large Portholes AU50 NGC. Encyclopedia-3, BMA Type One, W-11445, Low R.6. Ex: Brock. 49.6 grains. Die rotation is about 30 degrees. The Eric P. Newman Sommer Islands sixpence is composed of 81% copper, 16% tin, 1% antimony, and 2% trace elements. This example is possibly the finest known Sommer Islands sixpence of either variety. The sharpness is virtually Mint State, with beautiful green patina on each side. The only piece that rivals this example from the Eric P. Newman Collection is the Garrett coin. Design The obverse shows a hog facing left below the denomination, VI, with a beaded circle and outer legend SOMMER ILANDS. The reverse has a westward sailing ship with four large portholes between two rows of closely spaced, studded planking. Nearly 30 examples of this variety are known, and one-third of those are from the Castle Island hoard. The other variety has two wide rows of planking that flanks the four small portholes. The Small Portholes variant is slightly scarce, with a total population of less than 20 pieces in all grades, including seven from the Castle Island hoard. Historical Observations Max B. Spiegel presented considerable information about the Sommer Islands coinage in his August 2009 Colonial Newsletter article, discussing a possible engraver, methods of striking, composition, and the time of manufacture. The Somers Isles Company was incorporated on July 29, 1615, with a royal charter granting the right to distribute coins for use in Bermuda. A new governor, Daniel Tucker, arrived at the archipelago on May 16, 1616, and recorded that a base metal coinage would arrive with other provisions. Louis Jordan notes that no ships arrived there in 1617, so the coinage must have arrived during the last six months of 1616. If Royal Mint Chief Engraver Charles Anthony created the dies, he would have done so after the royal charter, and before his death on October 24, 1615. The coins were likely struck soon after the dies were engraved. The 1615-16 date assigned to these pieces appears accurate. Commentary The early provenance of the four Sommer Islands pieces begins with Jacob Giles Morris (1800-1854), a wealthy Philadelphia philanthropist and collector who drowned when the S.S. Arctic sank on September 27, 1854 off the coast of Newfoundland. His sister inherited his collection, and her descendants sold the coins, but his collection of colonial and continental currency remained intact and is now housed at Colonial Williamsburg. Notice of his loss at sea appeared in the October 13, 1854 issue of the Philadelphia Inquirer: {blockquote}"Among the passengers on board the Arctic, who are, in all probability, lost, was Jacob G. Morris, of this city, a gentleman well known to most of the members of the community, and whose character can scarcely be too highly extolled, whether we judge him by the test of public philanthropy or private benevolence. As a member of the Board of Managers of the Pennsylvania Institution of the Blind, he devoted himself to the promotion of the interests of the Institution, and to the personal comfort of the patients, with a devotion which is not often equaled. At one time, during the interval between the resignation of one principal and the election of another, he assumed the entire charge of the establishment for several months. In the Board of Managers of the Pennsylvania Hospital, his services were equally important, especially in the department for the Insane. His loss casts a gloom over a large circle of friends in this city."{/blockquote} Provenance Ex: Jacob Giles Morris; Col. Robert C.H. Brock; University of Pennsylvania; Philip H. Ward, Jr; C.J. Dochkus; F.K. Saab; Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society. Realized $129,250.00. Description courtesy of Heritage Auctions.
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- (1615-6) 6PENCE Sommer Islands Sixpence, Large Portholes AU50 NGC. Encyclopedia-3, BMA Type One, W-11445, Low R.6. Ex: Brock. 49.6 grains. Die rotation is about 30 degrees. The Eric P. Newman Sommer Islands sixpence is composed of 81% copper, 16% tin, 1% antimony, and 2% trace elements. This example is possibly the finest known Sommer Islands sixpence of either variety. The sharpness is virtually Mint State, with beautiful green patina on each side. The only piece that rivals this example from the Eric P. Newman Collection is the Garrett coin. Design The obverse shows a hog facing left below the denomination, VI, with a beaded circle and outer legend SOMMER ILANDS. The reverse has a westward sailing ship with four large portholes between two rows of closely spaced, studded planking. Nearly 30 examples of this variety are known, and one-third of those are from the Castle Island hoard. The other variety has two wide rows of planking that flanks the four small portholes. The Small Portholes variant is slightly scarce, with a total population of less than 20 pieces in all grades, including seven from the Castle Island hoard. Historical Observations Max B. Spiegel presented considerable information about the Sommer Islands coinage in his August 2009 Colonial Newsletter article, discussing a possible engraver, methods of striking, composition, and the time of manufacture. The Somers Isles Company was incorporated on July 29, 1615, with a royal charter granting the right to distribute coins for use in Bermuda. A new governor, Daniel Tucker, arrived at the archipelago on May 16, 1616, and recorded that a base metal coinage would arrive with other provisions. Louis Jordan notes that no ships arrived there in 1617, so the coinage must have arrived during the last six months of 1616. If Royal Mint Chief Engraver Charles Anthony created the dies, he would have done so after the royal charter, and before his death on October 24, 1615. The coins were likely struck soon after the dies were engraved. The 1615-16 date assigned to these pieces appears accurate. Commentary The early provenance of the four Sommer Islands pieces begins with Jacob Giles Morris (1800-1854), a wealthy Philadelphia philanthropist and collector who drowned when the S.S. Arctic sank on September 27, 1854 off the coast of Newfoundland. His sister inherited his collection, and her descendants sold the coins, but his collection of colonial and continental currency remained intact and is now housed at Colonial Williamsburg. Notice of his loss at sea appeared in the October 13, 1854 issue of the Philadelphia Inquirer: {blockquote}"Among the passengers on board the Arctic, who are, in all probability, lost, was Jacob G. Morris, of this city, a gentleman well known to most of the members of the community, and whose character can scarcely be too highly extolled, whether we judge him by the test of public philanthropy or private benevolence. As a member of the Board of Managers of the Pennsylvania Institution of the Blind, he devoted himself to the promotion of the interests of the Institution, and to the personal comfort of the patients, with a devotion which is not often equaled. At one time, during the interval between the resignation of one principal and the election of another, he assumed the entire charge of the establishment for several months. In the Board of Managers of the Pennsylvania Hospital, his services were equally important, especially in the department for the Insane. His loss casts a gloom over a large circle of friends in this city."{/blockquote} Provenance Ex: Jacob Giles Morris; Col. Robert C.H. Brock; University of Pennsylvania; Philip H. Ward, Jr; C.J. Dochkus; F.K. Saab; Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society. Realized $129,250.00. Description courtesy of Heritage Auctions.
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- (1615-6) 3PENCE Sommer Islands Threepence VF20 NGC. Encyclopedia-5, BMA Type One, W-11420, R.7. Ex: Brock. 36.2 grains. Die rotation is about 300 degrees. The Eric P. Newman Sommer Islands threepence is composed of 97% copper, 1% tin, and 2% trace elements. Crusty ebony verdigris is primarily evident on the obverse of this nicely detailed threepence, with light brown coloration on the worn high points of the obverse, and about the reverse periphery. The obverse appears bulged and the reverse dished, perhaps a result of the minting process. Design The central device on the obverse is a hog facing left; the Roman numeral III, for threepence, is above, and a square arrangement of five pellets appears at the lower left. The reverse has a ship with S to the left of the bow and I to the right of the stern, abbreviating Sommer Islands. Until 15 years ago, only a single variety was known. A second die pair was discovered in 1999, and offered in the March 1999 Bowers and Merena sale. The usual variety has small figures in the denomination, with their bases level. The new variety has larger figures in III that step upward from left to right. The Newman specimen represents the first variety. Historical Observations The origin of the Sommer Islands coins is undoubtedly London, although it is uncertain if they were minted privately or at the Royal Mint. In his August 2009 Colonial Newsletter article (which includes yet another variant spelling), "The Somers Isles Hogge Money: A Theory About Their Mysterious Origin," Max B. Spiegel makes a case that these coins were struck at the Royal Mint under the direction of Chief Engraver Charles Anthony. Spiegel writes: {blockquote}"Anthony was a logical choice for producing the hogge money. Not only was he the Chief Engraver of the Mint in London, but he was also a notable shareholder in the Somers Isles Company. Besides engraving for King James, Anthony did work for Prince Henry, who was a supporter of the Virginia Company. While Anthony is known conclusively to have engraved the Great Seal of England, he is also thought to have produced the seals for the Virginia Company and possibly the Somers Isles Company."{/blockquote} Commentary The Sommer Islands threepence is clearly the rarest denomination, and only seven examples are known to us. The finest appears to be the British Museum specimen, followed closely by the present Newman coin, and the Norweb specimen that is now in possession of the Bermuda Monetary Authority. Colonel Robert Coleman Hall Brock, an early owner of this piece, was born on January 26, 1861, and died on August 8, 1906. The Philadelphia resident was a prominent lawyer, and served as commander of the Second Infantry Regiment, Pennsylvania National Guard. He was a member of the Quaker City Yacht Club, and served on the Board of Trustees of the Pennsylvania Museum. C.J. Dochkus was likely Charles J. Dochkus, a Philadelphia engineer who lived from approximately 1901 to 1966. F.K. Saab was a full-time numismatic professional who was born in Egypt in 1897, and died at Riverdale, New York, in 1976. He was known as an authority on ancient coins, and he was a long-time contributor to the Guide Book of United States Coins. Census 1. XF. British Museum. The Breen Encyclopedia plate coin. 2. VF30. Jacob Giles Morris; Colonel Robert Coleman Hall Brock; University of Pennsylvania; Philip H. Ward, Jr; C.J. Dochkus; F.K. Saab; Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society. The present coin. 3. VF20. Robert R. Prann Collection (Abe Kosoff, 8/1947); J. Douglas Ferguson (12/1956); Norweb Collection (Bowers and Merena, 10/1987), lot 1141; Bermuda Monetary Authority. 4. Fine. Loye Lauder (Doyle Galleries, 1983), lot 109. Guide Book plate coin. 5. Fine. Carnegie Museum (Spink, 3/1983), lot 1120; Bank of Bermuda, Ltd. 6. Unknown grade. E. Rodovan-Bell. On loan to the Bank of Bermuda, Ltd. 7. Net Good. London, England (8/1927); later, a Midwestern coin dealer; Bowers and Merena (3/1999), lot 1001. The recently discovered second die pair. Provenance Ex: Jacob Giles Morris; Col. Robert C.H. Brock; University of Pennsylvania; Philip H. Ward, Jr; C.J. Dochkus; F.K. Saab; Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society. Realized $205,625.00. Description courtesy of Heritage Auctions.
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- (1615-6) 3PENCE Sommer Islands Threepence VF20 NGC. Encyclopedia-5, BMA Type One, W-11420, R.7. Ex: Brock. 36.2 grains. Die rotation is about 300 degrees. The Eric P. Newman Sommer Islands threepence is composed of 97% copper, 1% tin, and 2% trace elements. Crusty ebony verdigris is primarily evident on the obverse of this nicely detailed threepence, with light brown coloration on the worn high points of the obverse, and about the reverse periphery. The obverse appears bulged and the reverse dished, perhaps a result of the minting process. Design The central device on the obverse is a hog facing left; the Roman numeral III, for threepence, is above, and a square arrangement of five pellets appears at the lower left. The reverse has a ship with S to the left of the bow and I to the right of the stern, abbreviating Sommer Islands. Until 15 years ago, only a single variety was known. A second die pair was discovered in 1999, and offered in the March 1999 Bowers and Merena sale. The usual variety has small figures in the denomination, with their bases level. The new variety has larger figures in III that step upward from left to right. The Newman specimen represents the first variety. Historical Observations The origin of the Sommer Islands coins is undoubtedly London, although it is uncertain if they were minted privately or at the Royal Mint. In his August 2009 Colonial Newsletter article (which includes yet another variant spelling), "The Somers Isles Hogge Money: A Theory About Their Mysterious Origin," Max B. Spiegel makes a case that these coins were struck at the Royal Mint under the direction of Chief Engraver Charles Anthony. Spiegel writes: {blockquote}"Anthony was a logical choice for producing the hogge money. Not only was he the Chief Engraver of the Mint in London, but he was also a notable shareholder in the Somers Isles Company. Besides engraving for King James, Anthony did work for Prince Henry, who was a supporter of the Virginia Company. While Anthony is known conclusively to have engraved the Great Seal of England, he is also thought to have produced the seals for the Virginia Company and possibly the Somers Isles Company."{/blockquote} Commentary The Sommer Islands threepence is clearly the rarest denomination, and only seven examples are known to us. The finest appears to be the British Museum specimen, followed closely by the present Newman coin, and the Norweb specimen that is now in possession of the Bermuda Monetary Authority. Colonel Robert Coleman Hall Brock, an early owner of this piece, was born on January 26, 1861, and died on August 8, 1906. The Philadelphia resident was a prominent lawyer, and served as commander of the Second Infantry Regiment, Pennsylvania National Guard. He was a member of the Quaker City Yacht Club, and served on the Board of Trustees of the Pennsylvania Museum. C.J. Dochkus was likely Charles J. Dochkus, a Philadelphia engineer who lived from approximately 1901 to 1966. F.K. Saab was a full-time numismatic professional who was born in Egypt in 1897, and died at Riverdale, New York, in 1976. He was known as an authority on ancient coins, and he was a long-time contributor to the Guide Book of United States Coins. Census 1. XF. British Museum. The Breen Encyclopedia plate coin. 2. VF30. Jacob Giles Morris; Colonel Robert Coleman Hall Brock; University of Pennsylvania; Philip H. Ward, Jr; C.J. Dochkus; F.K. Saab; Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society. The present coin. 3. VF20. Robert R. Prann Collection (Abe Kosoff, 8/1947); J. Douglas Ferguson (12/1956); Norweb Collection (Bowers and Merena, 10/1987), lot 1141; Bermuda Monetary Authority. 4. Fine. Loye Lauder (Doyle Galleries, 1983), lot 109. Guide Book plate coin. 5. Fine. Carnegie Museum (Spink, 3/1983), lot 1120; Bank of Bermuda, Ltd. 6. Unknown grade. E. Rodovan-Bell. On loan to the Bank of Bermuda, Ltd. 7. Net Good. London, England (8/1927); later, a Midwestern coin dealer; Bowers and Merena (3/1999), lot 1001. The recently discovered second die pair. Provenance Ex: Jacob Giles Morris; Col. Robert C.H. Brock; University of Pennsylvania; Philip H. Ward, Jr; C.J. Dochkus; F.K. Saab; Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society. Realized $205,625.00. Description courtesy of Heritage Auctions.
