這枚稀有硬幣於 1652 年在波士頓殖民時期鑄造，售價超過 250 萬美元

八年前，在阿姆斯特丹的一個櫃子後面發現了一枚小銀幣。它大約有 5 分鎳幣大小，銀價為 1.03 美元。

A small silver coin was found in the back of a cabinet in Amsterdam eight years ago. It is about the size of a nickel and has a silver value of $1.03.

八年前，在阿姆斯特丹的一個櫃子後面發現了一枚小銀幣。它大約有 5 分鎳幣大小，銀價為 1.03 美元。

However, it was also minted in 1652 in colonial Boston, more than a century before the 13 colonies declared independence from Britain.

然而，它也是在 1652 年在殖民地波士頓鑄造的，比 13 個殖民地宣布脫離英國獨立早了一個多世紀。

It was stamped with the initials “NE,” which stands for New England. The silver coin represents a rebellious act by the 13 colonies against the royal overlords who tried to control them.

它上面印有縮寫“NE”，代表新英格蘭。銀幣代表了13個殖民地對試圖控制他們的皇家霸主的反抗行為。

Very few of these coins have survived until now, which makes this coin a rarity. It was sold at auction for over $2.5 million, setting a new record for an American coin created before the Revolution.

這些硬幣至今存世量極少，這使得這枚硬幣非常稀有。這枚硬幣在拍賣會上以超過 250 萬美元的價格售出，創下了革命前美國硬幣的新紀錄。

The coin was discovered in 2016 in an antique cabinet belonging to a homeowner in the Netherlands. It was next to a note that read, “Silver token unknown / From Quincy family / B. Ma. Dec 1798.”

這枚硬幣於 2016 年在荷蘭一位房主的古董櫃中被發現。旁邊有一張紙條，上面寫著：「銀幣未知/來自昆西家族/B. Ma。 1798 年 12 月。

At first, the discoverer was unaware of the coin’s history. After working with the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS), more information was revealed.

起初，發現者並不知道這枚硬幣的歷史。在與專業錢幣評級服務機構（PCGS）合作後，更多資訊被揭露。

They found that the note was written in 1798, but the coin was much older. It had been made at the Boston Mint in 1652.

他們發現紙幣是 1798 年寫的，但硬幣的歷史要早得多。它於 1652 年在波士頓造幣廠鑄造。

At the time the note was written, such coins were already considered a rarity. Furthermore, the coin’s link to the Quincy family was confirmed.

在寫下這張紙條時，這種硬幣已經被認為是稀有的。此外，這枚硬幣與昆西家族的聯繫也得到了證實。

By producing its own coins, the Boston Mint challenged the British crown’s authority, representing New England’s determination to separate itself from British rule and regulate its own economy, according to the Massachusetts Historical Society.

據馬薩諸塞州歷史學會稱，波士頓造幣廠通過生產自己的硬幣，挑戰了英國王室的權威，代表了新英格蘭擺脫英國統治並規範自身經濟的決心。

In 1781, Boston Mint coins were highly sought after by collectors. That same year, an English coin collector named Thomas Brand Hollis wrote to John Adams, the future president, and then-ambassador to the Netherlands, for help in obtaining one of the Boston Mint coins.

1781年，波士頓造幣廠的硬幣受到收藏家的追捧。同年，一位名叫托馬斯·布蘭德·霍利斯的英國硬幣收藏家寫信給未來的總統、時任駐荷蘭大使約翰·亞當斯，請求幫助獲得一枚波士頓造幣廠硬幣。

Adams asked his wife Abigail for assistance since her great-grandfather was the stepbrother of John Hull, the silversmith who was responsible for minting the coins.

亞當斯向他的妻子阿比蓋爾尋求幫助，因為她的曾祖父是負責鑄造硬幣的銀匠約翰·赫爾的繼兄弟。

So far, it is unclear whether the recently auctioned coin was shipped across the Atlantic by Adams, but the auction house thinks it is likely.

到目前為止，尚不清楚最近拍賣的硬幣是否是由亞當斯跨越大西洋運來的，但拍賣行認為這是可能的。

The only other known threepence coin of this type is housed in the Massachusetts Historical Society’s collection.

唯一已知的這種類型的三便士硬幣由馬薩諸塞州歷史學會收藏。

“As the very first American coins, NE shillings, sixpence, and threepence see a high level of demand and sell for dramatically high prices to well-heeled, historically minded collectors,” said Vicken Yegparian, the vice president of Stack’s Bowers Galleries.

「作為最早的美國硬幣，新先令、六便士和三便士的需求量很大，並以極高的價格出售給富有、具有歷史意識的收藏家，」斯塔克鮑爾斯畫廊(Stack's Bowers Galleries) 副總裁維肯·耶格帕里安(Vicken Yegparian) 說。

“The record for an NE coin is $646,250, but we expect this piece to handily exceed that level.”

“NE 幣的記錄是 646,250 美元，但我們預計這枚幣將輕鬆超過該水平。”

During the bidding, which lasted for an intense 12 minutes, the coin’s price steadily increased and ultimately sold for $2.52 million.

在持續12分鐘的激烈競標過程中，該幣的價格穩定上漲，最終以252萬美元的價格成交。

It became the most expensive non-gold U.S. coin that was created before the U.S. Mint was founded in 1792.

它成為 1792 年美國造幣廠成立之前鑄造的最昂貴的非金幣。