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1087

1775 Counterfeit George III British Halfpenny, possibly part of the Roman Head Family. 126.8 grains.

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money Start Price:25.00 USD Estimated At:NA
1775 Counterfeit George III British Halfpenny, possibly part of the Roman Head Family. 126.8 grains.
1775 Counterfeit George III British Halfpenny, possibly part of the Roman Head Family. 126.8 grains.About Uncirculated, with little actual wear, and some light marks that may be more from a trouncing sack than actual circulation. Boldly struck, all the design details full, the legends and date crisp and sharp. Medium brown, the surfaces hard and with a bit of gloss to them, the obverse with a trivial area of light roughness before the face, which appears to have been in the planchet before the coin was struck, and a couple ancient scratches that have toned to the surface color. The Roman Head family is ill-defined, and though a synopsis chapter was included in the first volume it raised more questions than it answered. The family is similar to the much larger Young Head Family, especially in the use of closed G’s in the legend, but the bust styles are different and distinct, and they tend to come on heavier planchet stock as well. It is hoped that this family gets clarified more in the future, but the coins in it are quite striking, with the bust of George looking very much like a Roman emperor. A small group do exist in higher grades, which suggests that collectors in the late 19th century added them to their cabinets as regal issues. 1775 is actually a scarce year for genuine, regal halfpence, yet the most common date found on counterfeits, and one can see a well-made, heavy coin like this fooling a collector of the time.
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