Home› World & Ancient Coins Forum

Please help with coin ID.

razzlerazzle Posts: 993 ✭✭✭
in World & Ancient Coins Forum
I think it is a half-penny from Great Britain. The date is clear enough, 1772, but I am unable to tell much else. My Krause only goes back to 1900.

image
image
Markets (governments) can remain irrational longer than an investor can remain solvent.

Comments

  • CollectorBobCollectorBob Posts: 418 ✭✭
    1779
  • razzlerazzle Posts: 993 ✭✭✭
    It looks like a nine until magnified,but definitely a "2".
    Markets (governments) can remain irrational longer than an investor can remain solvent.
  • razzlerazzle Posts: 993 ✭✭✭
    On a hunch, I looked in the 2012 Redbook. P64 has the coin as a GEORGIVS/BRITANIA, Machin's Mills Copper Halfpenny. Best I can tell from their pics, mine is Group ll. A guess at grade would be AG at best. I would like to know the mintage if anyone has it in a Kraus.
    Markets (governments) can remain irrational longer than an investor can remain solvent.
  • coachleonardcoachleonard Posts: 995 ✭
    Style-wise this would not be a Machin Mill (a New York issue) but is an official British halfpenny dated 1772 (almost looks like it could be 1770 though). These were struck 1770-75 but there were also LOTS of counterfeits of this coin struck in England and also some here in the U.S from the 1770s all the way into maybe the 1820s. Yours does not look like a counterfeit though. Definitely could have circulated in Colonial America or early U.S at one time or another. An example of a coin with LOTS of interesting history, but still enough supply to meet the demand so prices remain under $10 for well circulated pieces.
  • razzlerazzle Posts: 993 ✭✭✭
    coachleonard,

    Thank you. Any idea of the mintage?

    Chuck
    Markets (governments) can remain irrational longer than an investor can remain solvent.
  • coachleonardcoachleonard Posts: 995 ✭
    not sure exactly but it seems to me i heard or read somewhere the mintages were like 3 or 4 million each of the years 1770-75. 'Course add to that all the counterfeits made of 1770-75 type George III halfpence...but a lot of the counterfeits are either undated or have bogus dates (1776, 1778, 1787, etc). These type of halfpennies (official and unofficial) seem to turn up in east coast state metal detecting finds with some regularity so they did come over here and circulate in some numbers. I own a 1773 one that was found near an old Colonial era house in Virginia.
  • razzlerazzle Posts: 993 ✭✭✭
    Thanks again, coach. This one came from back east, too. My father-in-law had it in southeast Penna since 1971 at least, not sure where he came by it. It has that chocolate color to it that I appreciate but, like the old Amish saying, many hands make light detail...er, something like that.
    Markets (governments) can remain irrational longer than an investor can remain solvent.
  • JamesMurrayJamesMurray Posts: 4,036 ✭
    Thats interesting Razzle , i'm in Amish country and being from the UK and could see right away the influences past generations had here.This area i'm in was originally settled by Scots and is why it suits me to a tee , lakes are lochs and we have a very similar weather pattern,it doesnt surprise me they chose to settle here.It would be cool to think that coin has been here all along , but with the advent of the internet it's impossible to prove one way or another anymore.Ebay is awash with these "colonial" coins and not without some success occasionally for a seller.Ebay UK has loads as well , much cheaper naturally.
  • razzlerazzle Posts: 993 ✭✭✭
    James,

    I grew up on a small farm adjacent to an Amish farm (totally primitive-no engines or electric). They plowed behind horses, barefoot. In fact, the farm I grew up on was rented from an Amish family who now occupies it. This was at the western edge of Chester County, just shy of Lancaster County. The Amish can get a lot out of 20 acres.

    There are a lot of places back there ( I have lived in Colorado for the past 40 years) that would be fun to visit with a metal detector.

    Markets (governments) can remain irrational longer than an investor can remain solvent.
  • JamesMurrayJamesMurray Posts: 4,036 ✭
    Hi Razzle , any time your in the neighborhood gimme a shout , i'd be happy to have someone to go detecting with and have access to more acres than i'll ever be able to cover.The revolution , civil war , and the rest all marched right past my front door.Chester is next county over to me , i'm in Bucks Co.
    And yep..those Amish are still doing exactly what they were doing when you were last here.I wonder what effect the internet has had come to think of it , obviously they don't use it but still...they must be curious and to be honest if it were not for the internet i wouldnt be where i am nor retired early.I owe much to Bill Gates and Co.
Sign In or Register to comment.