3 Pence - Chalmers

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.