Reverse Shilling. Makers: John Hull (1624-1683), Robert Sanderson Sr. (ca. 1608–1693) ca. 1667-ca. 1682. Made in Boston, Massachusetts. American. Silver. Bequest of Alphonso T. Clearwater, 1933

In 1652 John Hull and Robert Sanderson were appointed mint masters for the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Established in response to a chronic shortage of hard currency and the need for a reliable and efficient medium of exchange, the mint was operated by Hull and Sanderson for thirty years. During that period, it produced coins of various denominations and designs, ranging from a simple NE (for “New England”) to a willow, oak, or pine tree encircled by beading; virtually all examples, however, were dated 1652.