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1007

1775 Counterfeit British Halfpenny, Double Struck, Simian Family. 91.7 grains.

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money Start Price:25.00 USD Estimated At:NA
1775 Counterfeit British Halfpenny, Double Struck, Simian Family. 91.7 grains.
1775 Counterfeit British Halfpenny, Double Struck, Simian Family. 91.7 grains.Choice Very Fine, a bold example, the first strike was normally centered, the second strike about 40% off-center towards 7:00. The second strike obliterated the GEOR of the original strike, while there are two sets of III REX and two nearly-complete busts. The reverse has the same centering, but the second strike did not obliterate any of the legend, and the original BRITAN is strong at the left, while the center shows two sets of Simian arms and shields, and the last two digits of the date. More special, this is a scarce variety that has an engraving error on the reverse, with the second part of the legend reading NIN instead of NIA, the whole word thus being BRITANNIN. The present coin shows two bold sets of the NIN error. This type of error is a minor legend fault – the engraver forgetting whether he was engraving the first or last letter of the NIA legend, and once done it was not worth the effort to go back and correct. That error does not make this an evasion copper, even though the legend is “incorrect.” There are American state coinages with similar legend faults – and there are actually a couple regal British halfpence, made at the Tower Mint, that also have legend errors, and no one has ever claimed them as evasion coppers. Lovely chocolate brown with minor marks from circulation, but a really stunning coin – an error legend and error strike, all in one!
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