Description

This is the second in a series of “Tree Money” that John Hull coined from 1660 to 1668, and like the Willow Tree, they all bore the date 1652. Coining money was the prerogative of the King and the colonists had no right to strike their own coins. The 1652 date was a deception to give the coins the appearance of having been struck after Charles I had been beheaded and there was no king in England. In this way they could deny any illegality after the monarchy was reestablished. The Oak Tree series was an improvement on its predecessors, the images being much sharper and bolder. They were also turned out in far larger quantities than the previous Massachusetts coins. They were struck in denominations of 6-pence, 3-pence and 2-pence.
AN EXACT REPLICA
MA-6