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1062

1771 Counterfeit George III British Halfpenny, Peck Coin ZZ, the “Lionhead” variety, possibly pa

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money Start Price:25.00 USD Estimated At:NA
1771 Counterfeit George III British Halfpenny, Peck Coin ZZ, the “Lionhead” variety, possibly pa
1771 Counterfeit George III British Halfpenny, Peck Coin ZZ, the “Lionhead” variety, possibly part of the very rare Rubber Lady Family. 107.4 grains.Fine, a circulated example of this very rare and distinct variety, one of the most dramatic counterfeits in the entire series. In offering the Choice VF Syd Martin coin earlier this year, the Stack’s Bowers cataloguers did an amazing job, which deserves to be quoted here: “One of the iconic counterfeit halfpennies among over 10,000 different varieties thought to exist, the Peck Coin zz always causes a stir when one of the handful of known specimens comes to market. The design motifs are completely reversed, George III facing left instead of right, as is Britannia, which faces right instead of left, and the legends begin at the lower right and go counterclockwise, rather than beginning at the lower left and running clockwise, as is normal. In addition, some letters are randomly upside down, and the die sinker inexplicably vacillated in the case of the V of GEORGIVS, repunching that letter rotated 180 degrees, as if ‘correcting’ that one letter mattered or even made any sense in the context of the otherwise totally blundered dies!” In the chapter on the Rubber Lady family in the first volume of the counterfeit book series, it was suggested that the Coin ZZ “Lionhead” variety might be tied to that family, which the Martin sale cataloguers agreed with. This example is well struck, the legends full, the N of the backwards NIA is a bit weak, the tops of the backwards BRTIAN are tight against the edge on the obverse. Light brown, the surfaces hard, with a number of light nicks on either side, and a small spot of discoloration at the seated figure’s improssibly pointed knees. Only a small number of this distinct variety have appeared for auction, with Mike Ringo’s bringing $4,312.50 in 2008, and the Anton-Kesse plate coin realizing $2875 four years later. Despite being one of the most bizarre looking counterfeits, the variety certainly circulated, and there are a couple examples known worn down to VG and lower grades. While not quite the rarity it once was, the Lionhead variety charms all who see it, and collectors who never thought they wanted a counterfeit British halfpence soon find themselves bidding on one in the rare instances it comes up for auction. If you like crude colonial varieties, then how could you not like something like this?
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