Sixpence 1662 - 1684

This sixpence was made by John Hull sometime in the mid-17th century in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Minted in secrecy, this small coin speaks volumes about colonial America’s burgeoning sense of economic and political autonomy, but also the exploitation of land and resources inherent in colonialism. The image of a tree at the coin's center—likely an oak or pine—is a direct reference to the natural resources of the region, a visual claim to the land’s inherent value, and a deliberate break from British currency. As the colony grew in wealth and power, it strained under the mercantilist policies of the crown. The minting of this coin was in direct defiance of English law. We can consider this coin a cultural artifact that embodies both the enterprising spirit of the colonists and the ecological cost of their ambitions. It embodies themes of cultural identity, economic defiance, and the complex relationship between humans and the environment.