1783 Chalmers Shilling - Large Worm

Coin Details

Description

Issued by Annapolis goldsmith John Chalmers in 1783, this shilling variety takes its name from the unusually long and prominent worm depicted between two quarreling birds on the reverse — a whimsical design element whose precise symbolism remains debated among colonial numismatists. The obverse displays a bust facing left, while the reverse scene of birds fighting over a worm may represent a commentary on the fractious politics of the Confederation period or simply serve as a decorative motif drawn from popular fable. Cataloged as Whitman 1405 and Breen 1000, the Large Worm variety is scarce but slightly more obtainable than its Short Worm counterpart (Breen 1001), giving collectors pursuing a complete Chalmers type set a marginally better chance of acquisition. Chalmers struck his silver coins — threepence, sixpence, and shillings — in Annapolis, Maryland, during the post-Revolutionary period when the Continental currency had collapsed and states lacked sufficient small-denomination silver for everyday commerce. Struck in silver with approximate dimensions consistent with contemporary British shillings, Chalmers's coinage represents one of the few instances of privately issued silver coins in post-Revolutionary America. The piece belongs to the Post-1776 Private and Regional Issues (1778-1820) series and stands as direct evidence of how individual craftsmen stepped in to fill the monetary vacuum before the federal government established the United States Mint in 1792.

Rarity Notes

Scarce. Slightly more common than the Short Worm variety.

Cross References

Whitman 1405; Breen 1000