1776 Pine Tree Copper (Copy) DA

David Hall:

The only known specimen is in the collection of the Massachusetts Historical Society.

 

P. Scott Rubin: The 1776 Massachusetts Copper Pine Tree Penny is a unique coin that is related to two other unique 1776 Massachusetts Coppers in style and design. This coin has a prominent Pine Tree on its obverse with the legend MASSACHUSETTS STATE. It shares a common reverse design with the other two 1776 Massachusetts coins: a Miss Liberty seated on a Globe with a watchdog at her feet and the date 1776. This ties the three coins together and because of their crude workmanship and the story that one of these three was found with items connected with Paul Revere it is believed that all three coins were engraved by him.

Also, on the obverse of the 1776 Massachusetts Copper Pine Tree Penny, separated by the trunk of the Pine Tree is 1d LM, which means 1 Penny Lawful Money. This is particularly important since as early as the 1870’s this was misread as 1c LM and reported as a cent not a Penny. This caused copies of this coin to have been created that carry the c not the d in their design, thus making it easy to determine they are not real. The only known example of this coin is in the collection of the Massachusetts Historical Society.

This unique coin was reportedly found by a grocer in the northern part of Boston who sold it to Edward Hooper who sold it to Jeremiah Colburn in 1852. At some time after that William Appleton obtained this unique 1776 Massachusetts Copper Pine Tree Penny from Colburn and later donated it to the Massachusetts Historical Society.

This coin is in very nice condition especially compared to the other two unique 1776 Massachusetts Copper coins believed made by Paul Revere.

Deanna

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