(1616) Sommer Islands Twopence

Coin Details

Description

Extremely rare with an estimated 8 to 12 surviving examples in all grades, the Sommer Islands Twopence is the smallest and scarcest denomination in the Hogge Money series — the earliest English coinage struck specifically for use in the Americas. Cataloged as W-11400/W-11410, Breen 6-7, and classified under BMA Type One and Type Two, this copper twopence was produced circa 1616 for circulation in the English colony of Bermuda (then known as the Somers Islands, named after Admiral Sir George Somers, whose shipwreck on the islands in 1609 inspired Shakespeare's The Tempest). The obverse depicts a wild hog facing left — the feral swine that had been introduced to Bermuda by Spanish sailors and had become the island's most distinctive wildlife — with the Roman numeral "II" above indicating the twopence value and a small star between the hog's legs. The reverse shows a fully rigged sailing ship with the letters "S" and "I" flanking the vessel, abbreviating "Sommer Islands." Two die varieties are documented: Large Star and Small Star, distinguished by the size of the star element on the obverse. Unlike the larger denominations in the Hogge Money series (threepence, sixpence, and shilling), the twopence lacks the SOMMER ILANDS border legend, relying solely on the S-I abbreviation on the reverse for its colonial attribution. With fewer than a dozen confirmed survivors, this represents one of the most elusive pieces in all of early colonial American numismatics, predating the New England shilling by over three decades.

Rarity Notes

Extremely rare. Estimated 8-12 surviving examples in all grades. Two varieties known: Large Star and Small Star.

Cross References

Breen 6-7, W-11400/W-11410, BMA Type One/Two