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How to Tell If an Oak Shilling Coin Is Real

The British General Court authorized the American colonies to strike their own metal currency in 1652. The most collectable of these coins are the oak shillings that were struck that year. These coins are very rare and extremely valuable. The coins range in value from $500 for a shilling that is in poor condition to as much as $5,000 or more for shillings in excellent condition. Finding genuine oak shillings can be a lucrative discovery.

Things You'll Need

Magnifying glass

Instructions

- 1
  Examine the coin under a magnifying glass. Look for the word "copy" anywhere on the coin, because all replicas made after 1970 must have the word "copy" imprinted on the coin. Find the date on the back of the coin and verify that it is 1652, because oak tree shillings always carry the date they were authorized by the British government.
- 2
  Examine the "M" on the coin's face, which should be at the upper or lower left-hand side. Locate a dot in the center of the coin that was made by the die when the coin was struck. The word "Massachusetts" will be spelled "MASATHVSETS."
- 3
  Find other die marks on the coin, such as over the second "S" in the word "MASATHVSETS." Identify whether there are shrubs located on either side of the trunk of the oak tree on the face of the coin. Find other die marks on the coin, such as in the ring of beads on both sides of the coin and over the lettering.
- 4
  Locate the reverse legend on the coin, which should begin between on the right side to the bottom of the coin. Identify the date "1652" and the Roman numeral XII, which you may find inside of the ring of beads. The lettering on the coin will have serifs.

Coin Collecting