My prediction of a few weeks ago sadly came true this past week in a local store. I had guessed we would go directly from Halloween to Christmas, bypassing the age-old tradition of Thanksgiving. I was right. When I visited a store on Halloween night, all displays of costumes and candy were already down. They were replaced with Christmas decorations, trees, candies and more....
That was in the Midwest. I wondered if it might be different in New England. After all, if there is an epicenter for Thanksgiving, it’s there. More specifically, eastern Massachusetts. That’s where the inaugural events are said to have taken place around 1640.
Coin collectors are particularly aware of the Pilgrims, as they were the first to use coins in the new world. The few coins Pilgrims had when they arrived were most probably English from where they had come. Incidentally, though they initially intended to land near the Hudson River in modern-day New York, rough waters and dangerous shoals forced them north to Cape Cod.
In 1652, barely a decade after that reported first “Thanksgiving Feast,” the Massachusetts General Court in Boston decided the New England colony should have its own coinage. A man named John Hull was appointed mint master to make threepence, sixpence and one shilling silver coins. The silver was brought on trade ships traveling from Spanish mines in Mexico.
Hull created the three denominations in sizes close to that of our modern dime, nickel and half dollar. The coins were very plain. On one side, in small type, were the initials “NE” for New England. On the reverse was the denomination stamped in Roman Numerals “III,” “VI” or XII.”
The exact number of the coins struck is unknown. It wasn’t many. What is known is their current rarity and value. Even in just “fair” condition, one can sell for over $50,000. Most command well over $100,000. Curiously, the smaller denomination coins sell for the most, some for more than $300,000.
What is also known is how much the early settlers in the Plymouth colony revered them. The coins were wholly “theirs.” They even considered them good luck. Proof of that is that is a small square hole found on some of the surviving coins. Settlers would nail a coin next to their front door for good luck. (The holes are square because early nails were hand-forged and square in shape.). The holes were also used to thread the coins on a string for carrying around the neck.
A few years later, between 1653 and 1660, the coins took on more of a traditional coin design. Around the outer edge was the words, “NEW ENGLAND.” In the center was the date “1652” and the Roman Numeral denoting the denomination. On the reverse was the name “MASATHVSETS” for Massachusetts. Those letters surrounded a crude rendering of a willow tree.
The value of the Willow Tree coinage is every bit as high as the earlier “New England” types. Only three of the threepence coins are known to exist. One of those sold in 2015 for $587,000. The sixpence pieces (of which 14 are known) can bring over $300,000. The larger shilling coins sell for $100,000 to $150,000. There are various varieties of each denomination. Those were created when the dies for the coins were slightly modified. Some of those rarer varieties bring substantially more.
This Thanksgiving, it’s compelling to consider three things. First, these coins are some of the only items still in existence to have been owned, touched and held by the original Pilgrims living 400 years ago in a remote and rustic colony near today’s Plymouth, Massachusetts.
Second, each of the coins was hand struck by John Hull with a die and hammer on individual silver planchets. Third, and considerably most exciting is that there are guaranteed to be more of the coins waiting to be found scattered around the New England countryside. One was uncovered just two years ago by an amateur with a metal detector in Plymouth County, Massachusetts. In relatively poor condition it sold at auction for $36,000.
While these coins leave much to be thankful for there is one caveat – counterfeits, especially superior quality fakes manufactured in China. Only buy specimens that are certified and always be suspicious of any at bargain prices. Happy Thanksgiving!
For more collecting information and advice, log on to: http://prexford.com/.