 1652 Massachusetts Bay Colony. Oak Tree Threepence. N.25, Cr.3-A2. R-6 (conjectural, probably higher). 16.5 gns. Extremely Fine. An outstanding example. The finest seen: nicer than the Noe plate coin (see next lot) both Hain coins, Norweb's, and the two in the MHS (1970) sale. The obverse is a light medium gray shade while the reverse is darker in color and entirely uniform. The tree on the obverse is soft on the right and in the center where the trunk appears split in half and the peripheral legend around is quite soft at the right. Elsewhere the obverse inscription is nearly fully legible and mostly on the flan.
The reverse is a little off center to the upper right with the tops of NEW off the flan, but the rest of the design on this side is fully legible. The outline of the die edge can be seen at the base of the reverse and faintly at the base of the obverse and along the right portion of that side. The variety is quite rare and may actually be underrated at R-6 since the pieces enumerated above are the only ones easily located in the literature. There was no Noe 25 on exhibit at the ANS in 1991, for example.
Ex F.C.C. Boyd Collection.
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