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This is a restrike of the Massachusetts Half Cent by coin dealer Henry Evanson from the late 1940's.

Henry Evanson was a coin dealer for over 60 years, a ANA member for over 50 years, as well as a member NENA. and the Springfield and West Springfield Coin Clubs. He purchased the Tatham Stamp and Coin Company of Springfield MA in the late 1950's from the estate of MacIntosh and owned the business with a partner for several years. He then owned Spruceland Stamp and Coin company till his death 17 years ago. On the obverse you will find a small uppercase "E" above the star which denotes the Evanson restrike.

Walter Breen assigned number 972 to the half cent and number 973 to the cent in his Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. and Colonial Coins. Breen makes the following comment consistent with the timeline above "these were struck sometime after WWII by Springfield, Massachusetts coin dealer Henry Evans" and "examples are scarcely seen and seldom offered at auction". This restrike was also listed in the Red Book through the 1960's and is highly collectable copy. This is why this is sometimes listed as "Evans" rather than the correct Evanson attribution. The single set of each of the dies had been defaced and destroyed years ago.