The Massachusetts Colony General Court granted permission in 1652 to have die prepared for silver coinage. The first coins in the series were the New England (NE) coinage, Shilling, Sixpence and Threepence. The obverse of the New England series has NE struck on the obverse and a Roman numeral on the reverse designating the valuation of the coin (XII for the Shilling, VI for the sixpence, and III for the threepence). These were the first coins struck in the British American thirteen colonies.