![1652 Massachusetts Bay Colony. Pine Tree Shilling. Large Planchet. Monogram NE. N.8, Cr.1b-D, W.39]....](http://www.stacksarchive.com/gallery/ST1005b/00/ST1005b0094t2.jpg "1652 Massachusetts Bay Colony. Pine Tree Shilling. Large Planchet. Monogram NE. N.8, Cr.1b-D, W.39]....") 1652 Massachusetts Bay Colony. Pine Tree Shilling. Large Planchet. Monogram NE. N.8, Cr.1b-D, W.39]. R-4. 71.8 gns. Gem Uncirculated. The Wurtzbach Plate Coin. An exceptional specimen of this distinctive variety in almost every aspect. Both sides are rich gray with iridescent gold showing. There is bright mint lustre and frost visible particularly on the reverse, fully justifying Carl Wurtzbach's description of this piece as ''Unc. Gem Specimen''. The front shows a full sharp tree with root structure which is beginning to show the die break there. The inner beaded border is complete. The letters of the peripheral legend around are sharp and bold save on first T and are fully present on the flan except for the very tops of HVS which run off.
On the back the denomination and date are sharp and the letters in the legend around are bold and clear despite the fact that they are beginning to fail in many places due to the late state of the die. Whoever the designer of these dies was, he seems to have understood the requirements of engraving on roller dies, for Noe-8 is usually found well struck on good flans with pleasing and sharp detail. This piece is one of the finest the cataloguer has ever seen. The light scratches in the center of the reverse are heartbreaking.
Ex Lorin Parmelee, John G. Mills, George H. Earle, Clarence S. Bement, Charles E. Clapp, Carl Wurtzbach, T. James Clarke, F.C.C. Boyd Collections.
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![Click to open a larger image - 1652 Massachusetts Bay Colony. Pine Tree Shilling. Large Planchet. Monogram NE. N.8, Cr.1b-D, W.39]....](http://www.stacksarchive.com/gallery/ST1005b/00/ST1005b0094a.jpg "Click to open a larger image - 1652 Massachusetts Bay Colony. Pine Tree Shilling. Large Planchet. Monogram NE. N.8, Cr.1b-D, W.39]....")
![Click to open a larger image - 1652 Massachusetts Bay Colony. Pine Tree Shilling. Large Planchet. Monogram NE. N.8, Cr.1b-D, W.39]....](http://www.stacksarchive.com/gallery/ST1005b/00/ST1005b0094b.jpg "Click to open a larger image - 1652 Massachusetts Bay Colony. Pine Tree Shilling. Large Planchet. Monogram NE. N.8, Cr.1b-D, W.39]....")
