 1652 Massachusetts Bay Colony. Pine Tree Shilling. Large Planchet. Backwards N. N.6, Cr.5a-B2, W.63. R-6. 69.2 gns. Extremely Fine. The Wurtzbach Plate Coin. The 1914 ANS Exhibition Coin. A final high grade example of this very scarce variety. The obverse is light gray and iridescent blue with some gold showing while the reverse is mostly gray with some pale gold at the top. Struck from much later states of the dies than usually seen, perhaps equivalent to an undescribed intermediate die state (N.6.5, although the writer will not venture there). The tree is sharp most everywhere save for the root structure and the upper left branches. The peripheral legend is fully legible except for the very first letter which is now completely obscured by a break. The traces of clashing are sharper at the base on this side with a new W ghost appearing above I in that legend. The elongations of the top of the obverse inscription are fairly typical for a roller struck piece.
On the reverse the die breaks seen on an ordinary Noe-6 are here much more advanced and in fact the M of DOM is now almost entirely obscured. Elsewhere the die is breaking in the central left field in a much more advanced state than seen on an ordinary Noe-6 and the break has now begun to engage the right descender of the first N. There is a small planchet rim flaw at about 6:00 on the reverse, a few other stray marks on this side and a bit of a gouge beside D of DOM. This piece was described by Carl Wurtzbach on his collector's ticket as ''This variety illustrated in 1914 NYS exhibit. Two specimens: Carl Wurtzbach and Society collections.''
Ex Charles E. Clapp, Carl Wurtzbach, T. James Clarke, F.C.C. Boyd Collections.
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