Offered is a charming example toned in marbled pewter and dove gray patina. Overall boldly defined, although the impression is drawn ever so slightly toward the right borders on both sides affecting only the tops of a few peripheral letters on reverse. A touch of softness at the lower obverse and upper reverse borders is also noted for accuracy. Smooth and well preserved for a lightly circulated survivor of this challenging type, this piece should have no difficulty finding its way into an advanced collection of early American coinage.In 1632, Cecil Calvert, second Lord Baltimore was granted a royal charter to establish the province of Terra Maria in the Middle Atlantic region of the American colonies. The early years of Calverts colony, better known as Maryland, were a period of flux. An ardent Royalist, Calvert himself lost the province in the 1640s during the Commonwealth era and only regained it in 1657 after the Restoration placed Charles II on the throne. At the time, Marylands principal crop was tobacco, the same as that of the neighboring colony of Virginia, and it was used as a medium of exchange (in Virginia, tobacco even became legal tender, a status it would retain until well into the 18th century). The absence of coins in Maryland was as problematic as it was in New England. Calvert, like the state of Massachusetts, took matters into his own hands and used a proviso in his charter that granted him the same rights as that of the Bishop of Durham, who just so happened to have issued coins in his own name. Calvert had dies prepared and an unknown mint (most likely the Royal Mint) struck silver shillings, sixpences, groats, and a small copper penny called a denarium. The coins were well struck and featured Calverts portrait on the obverse and, with the exception of the denarium, his coat of arms on the reverse. Local ordinances were passed requiring acceptance of the new coins in trade, however it would not be until early 1662 that the Maryland General Assembly would authorize their use in the colony. Unfortunately for Lord Baltimore, the home government took exception to these coins, not because of their private issue in seeming defiance of the Royal coining prerogative, but rather because they violated laws against exporting silver to the colonies. While several inquests were held, the outcomes of which are still unknown, Calvert appears to not have suffered any long term consequences. Calvert died in late 1675 and the coins struck in his name continued to circulate for many years. Quite rare today, Lord Baltimore shillings are seldom found in high grade, but rather are often extremely heavily worn, holed, damaged, and sometimes corroded from time spent in the ground. This About Uncirculated shilling is an exceptional example of the only silver coins struck for the Mid Atlantic colonies.,,PCGS# 34. NGC ID: 2U3L.,PCGS Population: 7; 10 finer, just one of which is Mint State (MS-61).,
