First silver coin of North America sold to an online bidder
Recommended for Middle Grades
The first silver coin said to be minted in colonial North America was found during an online sale. This first silver shilling was sold to an online bidder from the USA for $350,000.
It may not be so surprising, as North America was a colony of the British in the 17th century. Due to the shortage of coins in North America in 1652, John Hull was appointed to manage the minting of the coins. A one-shilling silver coin, which was sold online, was made in Boston in 1652.
What is a shilling?
Shilling is an earlier English and British coin. Australia, Austria, New Zealand, and Ireland also called their coins shillings. Today, it is used as a money unit in Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania, and Uganda.
This silver coin had initials of NE (New England) on one side and the roman numeral XII(12) on the other side. Roman numeral XII represents 12 pennies in one shilling.
There were many different types of coins kept in a candy tin. These coins were put into the sale by a gentleman called Wentworth. His father found the silver coins in a candy tin containing hundreds of old coins.
Other American coins were also sold at the sale which included 1776 pewter dollars for $80,000 and an American bronze medal for more than $17,000.
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