64 CATALOGUE. 



The "Pine Tree" silver is the most interesting as well as the 

 best known of the Colonial money. It was minted from 1652 to 

 1680 but always bore the date 1652, it is said, to prevent the au- 

 thorities in England from checking this assumed right of coining 

 money in Massachusetts. The twopenny pieces, however, bear 

 date 1662. John HuU, the mint-master, Hved at the present Peni- 

 berton Sq., Boston, his house later being occupied by Judge Sam- 

 uel Sevvell who received a dowry with his wife, HuU's daughter, of 

 her weight in Pine Tree Shillings ; but this dowry has been placed 

 by some writers at ;^30,ooo, rather a heavy weight, however, for 

 even the stout daughter. Many of the dies for these coins were 

 cut by Joseph Jenks, then connected with the Iron works at Saugus, 

 the earliest to cast iron wäre in the country. Immense quantities 

 of the Pine Tree coins were minted but all varieties are now rare. 



The dies for the copper cents and half cents of 1787-8 were 

 made by Joseph Callender, whose place of business was at "Half 

 Square State St.," Boston, or where Brazier's Building now Stands, 

 and later by Jacob Perkins of Newburyport. Joshua Witherle was 

 the mint-master, popularly known as "the cent maker," and lived 

 and had his mint on the land now numbered 1 132-44 Washington 

 St., at E. Waltham St., Boston. The building was of wood 20 by 

 40 feet. (See exhaustive account of the Massachusetts coins in 

 Crosby's Early Coins of America.) 



The paper currency illustrates the issues from 1690 to the merg- 

 ing of the State in the nation, and includes many very rare and 

 interesting specimens of these old bills. Among these are the 

 "Pine Tree" and the "Sword in band" issues. In addition to the 

 currency are two State notes. 



The collection in detail is as follows : — 



1690, bill of 5 Shillings. 



1713-1740, bill of I Shilling. 



1744, bill of 2 pence. 



1740, "A Crown." 



1737, I. 3» and 5 pence. 



1776, June 18, i and 4 Shillings. 



1 776-1778 (Pine Tree bills), 3 pence, 8 pence, i Shilling, i and 

 6 pence, 2, 3, 4, 5 Shillings, 4 and 8 pence, 5 and 4 pence. 



