Virginia Colonial

ajaan · February 13, 2013 8:46AM

I have the opportunity to purchase this coin. I like it.

savoyspecial · February 13, 2013 8:52AM

Unknown · February 13, 2013 8:52AM

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ambro51 · February 13, 2013 9:08AM

I assume you have done your homework and understand why that coin exists as it does.

CoinRaritiesOnline · February 13, 2013 9:10AM

You should be very picky when selecting one of these - there are plenty of examples to be had.

lordmarcovan · February 13, 2013 9:28AM

<< I assume you have done your homework and understand why that coin exists as it does. >>

Enlighten us.

PerryHall · February 13, 2013 9:33AM

<< 

<< I assume you have done your homework and understand why that coin exists as it does. >>

Enlighten us. >>

There was a major hoard similar to the Randall hoard of large cents.

lordmarcovan · February 13, 2013 9:35AM

Yeah, I read about that in the QDB hoards & treasures book, I think.

I just was wondering if there was specific information regarding this particular coin, is all.

ambro51 · February 13, 2013 10:13AM

Hoards ARE Cool. A time capsule.... Imagine a hidden drawer in a chest someday opening to reveal 100 as struck Chain Cents....still Red, untouched. It Could happen you know.

MidLifeCrisis · February 13, 2013 12:59PM

<< You should be very picky when selecting one of these - there are plenty of examples to be had. >>

I strongly suggest you heed this advice.

numisma · February 13, 2013 1:25PM

<< You should be very picky when selecting one of these - there are plenty of examples to be had. >>

John, one day you have to teach me how to be so subtle. Ajaan, the example you posted is an impaired coin, and I would put a full retail value of $250 on it. As John and others have hinted, there are reasonably priced, problem-free examples to be had. Years ago we used to see full Red and Red Brown examples at every show, and they were cheap. The prices have steadily increased, since it is a neat issue. I do not know your budget for such a coin, but my advice is to take your time, do your research, and find just the right piece for your collection.

ajaan · February 13, 2013 6:07PM

Please point me to site or dealer who'll sell me the coin for $250. Much appreciated.

BillJones · February 13, 2013 11:34PM

I would advise you not to buy that piece and to keep looking. This coin is fairly easy to find in Choice R&B Mint State, because there was a large hoard of them that were never issued. The piece you are considering appears to have some corrosion which has been partially removed. You can do better.

Here is the piece in my collection.

BillJones · February 13, 2013 11:41PM

<< Please point me to site or dealer who'll sell me the coin for $250. Much appreciated. >>

The best you can get for $250 would be one in F-VF. I paid $600 for the one I have, which now in a PCGS MS-63, R&B holder, more than 20 years ago. Today I'd say it's worth around $1,500 - $1,600.

jmski52 · February 14, 2013 12:08AM

Was the subject coin varnished?

ambro51 · February 14, 2013 1:59AM

No one has fully understood these coins including Crosby who placed them under Anglo American tokens. No less an Authority than Thomas Jefferson wrote in 1782 "in Virginia coppers have never been in use" (Jeffersons Works vol1 page 136).

DAVEatHLRC · February 14, 2013 2:53AM

<< No one has fully understood these coins including Crosby who placed them under Anglo American tokens. No less an Authority than Thomas Jefferson wrote in 1782 "in Virginia coppers have never been in use" (Jeffersons Works vol1 page 136). >>

I hate to contridict Thomas Jefferson, but perhaps his comments were (at the very least) premature.

Quite a number of VA halfpennies have been found in the ground (with evidence of extensive circulation) in the Eastern US over the years. It is possible that the issue was in storage for a while and released to circulation at a date later than 1782.

That said, since the issue is so plentiful and affordable (by colonial coin standards) in the nice-AU-to-nice-mint-state range due to that long-ago hoard of mint state pieces that was dispersed, I would agree that an AU details piece with post-minting impairments might not be the best value. It would be a tough sell if/when you decide to do so, since there are plenty of unimpaired examples around for collectors to choose from instead.

ajaan · February 14, 2013 3:08AM

<< since there are plenty of unimpaired examples around for collectors to choose from instead. >>

where? I've looked at dealers' website and can't find any nice ones that aren't very expensive. I was told the coin I posted was minted from rusted dies and isn't post mint damage.

BillJones · February 14, 2013 3:11AM

I have no doubt that a fair number of these pieces reached circulation in the 1780s and stayed there for 20 or more years after that. During the 1780s money could be made if you could make or purchase something that was round and made of copper and put it into circulation. If it had a bust on it, especially a credible king's bust on it as these coins did, all the better!

From what I've read the hoard that makes up the fairly large number of Mint State coins that known of this issue cropped up in the 1870s. Since then it has obviously been dispersed, but enough of these coins are around to keep the low compared to the prices for many other coins that were minted and circulated during the late 1700s.

DAVEatHLRC · February 14, 2013 3:23AM

<< 

<< since there are plenty of unimpaired examples around for collectors to choose from instead. >>

where? I've looked at dealers' website and can't find any nice ones that aren't very expensive. I was told the coin I posted was minted from rusted dies and isn't post mint damage. >>

I certainly don't want to be in the business of criticizing another dealer's wares. And that coin was struck from rusted dies -- the seller is correct.

So as not to promote one dealer over another, I will PM you with some suggested sources for VA halfpennies.

DoubleDime · February 14, 2013 4:26AM

Years ago I found one in a "junk box" of British coppers for 50c. Of course its low grade.

ambro51 · February 14, 2013 4:42AM

I'd actually prefer a well worn F-VF coin. It certainly would blend better the rest of your average colonials. Did you know they imported five tons of these? Yes. Five tons.

BillJones · February 14, 2013 4:45AM

The seller is not correct.

All of that greenish-black crud between the letters on the reverse and the obverse is post mint corrosion. This is not from a rusty die. Some of the crud has been removed and a bit of the color you see on this piece might be restorative AT. This is a problem coin, and you can find these pieces without such difficulties.

Some of the raised areas on the surface could be from a rusty die, but I've seen corrosion result in raised areas like that as well. Even if the rust die assertion is correct the other problems that are visible make that assertion of little consequence.
a moot point.

MidLifeCrisis · February 14, 2013 11:12AM

Here's what I see when I look at the coin posted by the OP:
- The color is wrong. This is the problem that jumps out immediately to me. It has the dark toning often associated with early copper that has been messed with.
- It has a shiny, "wet" look often associated with coins that have been excessively oiled or lacquered.
- I'm not sure what the dark green splotches in the letters on both the obverse and reverse are, but I know I don't like them. They are a red flag that something is wrong with the surface of the coin. Corrosion, verdigris, something else...I don't know.

Here is a VA Halfpenny that used to be in my collection. It's Ex Stack's January, 2005 sale of the John J. Ford collection, lot #114. Earlier F.C.C. Boyd. Possibly the Newman plate reverse for this variety. PCGS MS63 RB.

The pictures aren't great, but it should give you an idea of what I look for in these. Compare this one and Bill Jones' coin (which I also think is very nice) to the one posted in the OP.

johnny9434 · February 15, 2013 5:28AM

nice speciman

Analyst · March 11, 2013 7:22AM

RealOne: <>

I liked looking at some of the ones that I saw last week. These will be auctioned this week.

CRO: <<You should be very picky when selecting one of these - there are plenty of examples to be had.>>

Though this statement is true, some neat pieces will be auctioned this week. Those seeking truly rare colonials and other pre-federal items may wish to consider some of the other pieces in the auction. I have always been intrigued by pre-federal silver coins, especially Lord Baltimore and Chalmers issues, which are exceptionally well represented in the Ted Craige Collection.

‭Major Collection of Colonials To Be Auctioned

Virginia Colonial

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