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1723 FARTH Hibernia Pattern Farthing, Silver MS65

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money Start Price:22,000.00 USD Estimated At:1.00 - 1,000,000.00 USD
1723 FARTH Hibernia Pattern Farthing, Silver MS65
<B>1723<FARTH> Hibernia Pattern Farthing, Silver MS65 NGC.</B></I> Silver. Breen-151, Nelson-7. Only three MS65 examples have been certified of this rare issue, two by PCGS and this single piece by NGC, which was formerly one of the PCGS coins. The patent for striking halfpence and farthings for Ireland is a subject fraught with much political intrigue in the court of King George I. William Wood, the owner of several copper and tin mines in the West Country area of England, obtained a royal patent from King George I dated June 16, 1722 that authorized him to strike copper halfpence and farthings for Ireland. After years of political haggling and intrigue, Wood resigned his patent in 1725 and royal authorities withdrew the coinage from Ireland in 1737. However, the luckless Hibernia coinage received a new lease on life when English profiteers purchased the currency at bullion value and shipped it to the American colonies. Alongside Wood's Rosa American coinage, the Hibernia coppers joined the family of American colonial issues and remained in circulation here until shortly before the outbreak of the Revolution.<BR> This presentation farthing was struck in silver and, while Breen does not speculate on the number of coins produced, he does classify the issue as "extremely rare." Similar in appearance (but definitely not the same coin) to the 1999 piece, this farthing also shows scattered deep gray and blue toning with light gray patina over each side. Bright mint luster underlies the mottled toning with no obvious abrasions on either side. The often-seen die break is readily evident below King George's bust. Missing from the Garrett Collection and, in fact, missing from many advanced collections of Colonial coins, this is a rarely offered opportunity to acquire this rare silver farthing. Listed on page 29 of the 2005 <I>Guide Book.</B></I>