Art Institute of Chicago

Pair of Pine Tree Shillings

John Hull (American, born England, 1624–1683)

Date

1663–82

Medium

Silver

Culture

Boston

Department

Arts of the Americas

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

In 1652 the General Court of Massachusetts called upon John Hull and Robert Sanderson to establish the first local mint in the state. To prevent counterfeiting of the new currency, a design of a pine tree within a double-bead ring, enclosing the words IN MASATHVSETS on one side and NEW ENGLAND AN DOM on the other, was stamped on the coins. Although the coins were produced every year until 1682, all were stamped with the date of the founding of the mint: 1652.

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