Things Got Crazy...Then Really, Really Crazy! 1652 Pine Tree Shilling

[Silvermonkey]

It's hard to know where to start with this post. We had an unseasonably hot day today (low 80's) for Spring here in Massachusetts. I had the afternoon free, so I decided to do a little detecting before dinner. After about an hour banging around in the woods, I had a clad quarter and an IHP to show for my efforts. Not so good. But then I hit a nice, deep sounding 88 VDI on my XP Deus II. Could be a LC I thought. Yup...out pops a big copper. Excellent! Passed the coil over the same area again, and got another high tone. Out comes another copper! I dug four coppers out of this small area, measuring about 4 feet square.



But there was more! The fifth and sixth coin came out together. One was clearly a LC, but the other was smaller, and had a lower VDI ( 86). I was hoping it might be a silver...


The smaller coin was, in fact, silver. But I becamer paralyzed after getting a good look at it.

There was one more copper in the hole after this one. All together 6 LC's. Oddly enough all of them appear to be KG II'.Some are pretty rough, but that's fine by me. The silver turned out to be a 1652 Massachusetts Pine Tree shilling, small planchet ( ?Noe 29). It weighs 4.6 grams/ 70.98 grains, and is roughly 24 mm in diameter. How this coin ended up in someone's pocket with a bunch of KG II's is beyond me.

I am in absolute awe of the condition of this coin, given its extended dirt nap. What a beauty. Several years ago I was lucky to find a Massachusetts Oaktree 2 pence. I never thought I'd have that kind of good fortune ever again...until today.

Thanks very much for taking a look. If there are any experts out there who have a better idea about the variety of this coin, please let me know. Cheers and HH!

 

[grasshopper]

Stunning condition as well!! Big congratulations!!

 

[sprailroad]

Great coin spill, congratulations on the Pine Tree.

Great coin spill, that would be a yes. In Oregon, it would be a coin spill from an alternate universe.

 

[Jeff H]

Holy &^%$ what a hunt!!!!!! How about leaving a Tree Shilling in the ground for the rest of us! Congrats on an awesome find. Awesome finds, I should say!

 

[Blak bart]

Holy cow 🐄 !! Congrats on that killer colonial spill !! Wow...banner !!

 

[Terry Soloman]

Banner!

 

[ARC]

Advice...
Without hesitation...
Submit to PCGS or NGC.

 

[Silvermonkey]

Advice...
Without hesitation.
Submit to PCGS or NGC.

Thanks ARC. Yes, that is the plan. I'll post a follow-up after the grading process. Cheers.

 

[ARC]

Thanks ARC. Yes, that is the plan. I'll post a follow-up after the grading process. Cheers.

Smartest move.
And yes... I for one would like to see / know the result.
Also...
I think you will be surprised at the result.

 

[TreePro]

It's hard to know where to start with this post. We had an unseasonably hot day today (low 80's) for Spring here in Massachusetts. I had the afternoon free, so I decided to do a little detecting before dinner. After about an hour banging around in the woods, I had a clad quarter and an IHP to show for my efforts. Not so good. But then I hit a nice, deep sounding 88 VDI on my XP Deus II. Could be a LC I thought. Yup...out pops a big copper. Excellent! Passed the coil over the same area again, and got another high tone. Out comes another copper! I dug four coppers out of this small area, measuring about 4 feet square.

View attachment 2252637 View attachment 2252638 View attachment 2252639 View attachment 2252640

But there was more! The fifth and sixth coin came out together. One was clearly a LC, but the other was smaller, and had a lower VDI ( 86). I was hoping it might be a silver...

View attachment 2252641
The smaller coin was, in fact, silver. But I becamer paralyzed after getting a good look at it.View attachment 2252643

There was one more copper in the hole after this one. All together 6 LC's. Oddly enough all of them appear to be KG II'.Some are pretty rough, but that's fine by me. The silver turned out to be a 1652 Massachusetts Pine Tree shilling, small planchet ( ?Noe 29). It weighs 4.6 grams/ 70.98 grains, and is roughly 24 mm in diameter. How this coin ended up in someone's pocket with a bunch of KG II's is beyond me.

View attachment 2252647

View attachment 2252646

I am in absolute awe of the condition of this coin, given its extended dirt nap. What a beauty. Several years ago I was lucky to find a Massachusetts Oaktree 2 pence. I never thought I'd have that kind of good fortune ever again...until today.

View attachment 2252648
View attachment 2252649
View attachment 2252650

Thanks very much for taking a look. If there are any experts out there who have a better idea about the variety of this coin, please let me know. Cheers and HH!

Beautiful coin my friend and congrats!! I know the shilling has already been identified, but there are numerous variations and varieties of this incredible find of yours. Here’s a link to the NGC coin website (I hope I can post a link here) for some more information on your incredible find. You can click on the Census tab and it will take you to a list of this coin’s variants. NGC Coin, IMHO, is the world leader in identifying and grading ancients with David Vagi being their ancient coins expert and lead evaluator. Best of luck!!!

United States Colonial America MASSACHUSETTS (United States Colonial A

Visit the World Coin Price Guide on NGCcoin.com to see prices for United States Colonial America MASSACHUSETTS (United States Colonial America) Shilling coins, as well as images, mintage info, composition details and design notes. It's free!

www.ngccoin.com

 

[ticndig]

What an absolutely amazing recovery.

B-A-N-N-E-R

 

[russau]

Beautiful coin my friend and congrats!! I know the shilling has already been identified, but there are numerous variations and varieties of this incredible find of yours. Here’s a link to the NGC coin website (I hope I can post a link here) for some more information on your incredible find. You can click on the Census tab and it will take you to a list of this coin’s variants. NGC Coin, IMHO, is the world leader in identifying and grading ancients with David Vagi being their ancient coins expert and lead evaluator. Best of luck!!!

United States Colonial America MASSACHUSETTS (United States Colonial A

Visit the World Coin Price Guide on NGCcoin.com to see prices for United States Colonial America MASSACHUSETTS (United States Colonial America) Shilling coins, as well as images, mintage info, composition details and design notes. It's free!

www.ngccoin.com

and if you do mail it to any address INSURE IT FOR THE MAX AMOUNT OF $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ according to their value ! An absolutly winner of a banner coin !

 

[Mudflap]

Fantastic!

 

[Mine Shaft]

Big congrats on the pine tree 😯

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

Yes, please let us know the results when you get the coin back from being graded !

Good Luck !

 

[Silvermonkey]

Yes, please let us know the results when you get the coin back from being graded !

Good Luck !

Thanks! NGC has the coin. I requested that they put it through their conservation process in addition to grading. Assuming that they think the coin will benefit from conservation, it will take a little longer to get it back. ( 30 business days roughly). With any luck, I should have the coin returned to me by July 4th. I'll post the results of the conservation/ grading process as soon as I get them.

 

[rickertmork]

That would be terrifying to send that in the mail.

 

[Silvermonkey]

That would be terrifying to send that in the mail.

Very terrifying! I insured the crap out of it.