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I believe the political upheaval he is referring to was the deposing of Charles I in 1649 or 1650 (Beheaded I believe) and the establishment of the English Commonwealth under Oliver Cromwell. In effect ngland was in the midst of a Civil War. That gave the American Colonists their chance. The King had retained unto the crown the privilege of coinage, but no coins were being provided for th colonies. With the establishment of the Commonwealth the colonists were able to argue that there was no king on the throne to hold the coining privilege and they were able to strike their own coins.
After Charles II came to the throne he called them on the carpet for the coinage. They told him that the tree on the coin represented the great oak tree in which he had hidden out in to escape Cromwell's forces and that it was a tribute to him. This mollified him and he did not order punishment for the colonists, but did order that the coinage must stop. It didn't but since all the coinage was dated 1652 (except the 1662 two pence) it couldn't be proven that the Royal order was being disobeyed.
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Slab collector and researcher
reported as of 12/29/06
132 companies 332 production varieties
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