A Project of the Robert H. Gore, Jr. Numismatic Endowment
University of Notre Dame, Department of Special Collections

by Louis Jordan

Images Coordinated by

James C. Spilman and the Colonial Newsletter Foundation

FAQ: The Oak Tree Shilling

The Oak Tree Shilling is rare and is worth $1,000 to $3,000. The standard retail price list is R.S. Yeoman's A Guide Book of U.S. Coins, in his 1998 edition the oak tree shilling is listed as follows: Good $375; Very Good $850; Fine $2,000; Very Fine $3,600 and Extremely Fine $5,500. I should caution you there are many reproductions of these coins. Some are electrotypes (lead copies with a silver wash) made in the 19th century from original coins, while others are modern reproductions sold at colonial tourist sites as at Williamsburg, Virginia (see example below). All but one inquiries I have had on this coin were reproductions.

A company providing a grading service is the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS). They will attribute and grade colonial coins. Their services and prices are listed on the web at:

http://pcgs.com/

Below is an example of a set offered for $3.00 at colonial tourist sites: