Owner Comments:

The coin shown above is of the long worm shilling variety attributed to John Chalmers, a gold and silversmith of Annapolis circa 1783. Interestingly, at that time Annapolis, located in the State of Maryland, was the temporary seat of the Continental Congress.
John Chalmers was a diverse personage. In addition to coining silver 3 pence, 6 pence, and shillings, he at various times: served as an officer in the Continental Army, a sheriff in Baltimore, a tavern keeper, a Common Counsel representative, a rope factory owner, and a Methodist preacher. Not known to overlook opportunities, Chalmers incorporated his name in all his coinage, to promote himself to the public. Chalmers' coinage was a purely private issuance, having no official governmental status.
At the time Chalmers dabbled in coin production, the public desperately sought full weight, untampered with small change. The spanish dollar was a mainstay of circulating coinage. However, even this reliable workhorse was subject to serious abuses. The spanish dollar (8 reales), was frequently cut into pieces to create smaller change, (most commonly in half, into quarters, or into eighths). The unscrupulous sought a quick profit by "fudging" on the sizes of these fractional segments, often cutting them to smaller than the represented fractions.
Chalmers' shillings display some interesting symbolism. The reverse shows two birds vying for a worm, with a snake lingering in the background behind a hedge. Some have opined that Chalmers was warning that if the birds, representing the newly independent states, needlessly fought with each other, the Federal Government, represented by the snake, would use the opportunity to usurp additional power. Alternatively, the snake could portent the resurgence of Great Britain if the states let their guard down.
Chalmers made a profit from his coinage operations by taking a commission for converting fractional pieces into silver coins of 81-83% fineness. The wear on these coins reflect their considerable use in commerce. Estimates of the surviving population of worm shillings approximate 111 to 373.
Chalmers minted a few pattern shillings for a proposed Federal coinage, that were never given consideration.