Catalog
3 Pence - Chalmers
| Issuer | Maryland |
|---|---|
| Year | 1783 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Pound |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | CHALMERS. ANNAP. S*I. |
| Reverse description | A centrally positioned upright branch bearing multiple leafy sprigs, depicted in naturalistic relief within the field. The branch is flanked symmetrically, suggesting an olive or oak motif consistent with early American coinage iconography. The legend THREE PENCE arcs along the left and upper periphery, while the date 1783 appears inverted at the base of the design as seen in the die orientation. A milled border surrounds the entire composition. |
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| Additional information |
John Chalmers was a silversmith in Annapolis who struck these coins in 1783 to address a genuine shortage of small change — the Articles of Confederation government had no coinage authority, and worn foreign coins of uncertain value dominated everyday trade. Chalmers essentially took it upon himself to fill the gap, making his issues among the earliest private coinage produced after American independence.
The series is known in multiple die varieties, some considerably rarer than others. Striking quality varies sharply across the emission, a predictable result of small-shop production rather than a purpose-built mint.