 1652 Massachusetts Bay Colony. Oak Tree Shilling. N.12, Cr. unlisted. R-6+. 70.1 gns. Very Fine. The Noe Plate Coin. Nicer than Hain's better coin even though the date is softer. Deep gray in the peripheries, a little lighter on the high points and in some spots in the centers. Fairly soft tree as expected, letters in the legend around on this side a little soft in places, as well. Reverse appears much sharper with just minor softness visible in the letters of NDOM at the bottom. Well centered on both sides, the obverse a little off to the bottom but the tops of IN are still on the flan. Rim break most visible on the reverse at about 12:30. Some light reverse scratches. Small, retained lamination on the reverse on I of the date. Usually seen states of these dies.
Very rare: the cataloguer suspects R-6+ is at least approximate to the real rarity of N.12, noting that there wasn't one in the Garrett, Picker, Roper, NN trio (48th, 59th, and 60th sales), Norweb, MHS (1970), or Oechsner sales or in the 1991 ANS exhibition. The two here, four in Stearns and two in Hain (one of which was actually ex Stearns) may represent a good portion of the surviving population of N.12's.
Ex F.C.C. Boyd Collection.
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