LOT Old Heritage Auctions  /  2007 (ANA) Signature Coin Auction #444  / 

1530

1795 1/2P Washington Grate Halfpenny, Large

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money Start Price:10,000.00 USD Estimated At:1.00 - 1,000,000.00 USD
1795 1/2P Washington Grate Halfpenny, Large
<B>1795 1/2P Washington Grate Halfpenny, Large Buttons, Reeded Edge MS65 Red and Brown PCGS.</B></I> Baker-29AA. We last offered this piece in our 2006 June Long Beach Signature Auction, where it was described as: "Glowing orange luster outlines legends and design elements. The portrait and fields are smooth medium-brown. A well preserved piece with the usual slight softness on the first ON in LONDON. This is the single finest PCGS-certified Washington Grate halfpenny." The description is certainly accurate, yet it does not give this coin enough credit, since neither PCGS nor NGC has seen a Washington Grate halfpenny to equal this piece (7/07). A distinct die break is noticeable through the obverse lettering from roughly 7 o'clock to 11 o'clock.<BR> According to Breen (1988), the Washington Grate halfpenny is actually a tradesman's token minted by the Birmingham firm of Kempson & Sons. Kempson & Sons was also responsible for manufacturing the Liberty and Security series, and they exported a good number of their wares to the fledgling United States in the hopes of receiving a coinage franchise. There is no question that these pieces did circulate in the former colonies, most likely as cents, thanks to the continuing demand for anything that could serve as coinage.<BR><BR><b>Shipping:</b> Coins & Currency (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.heritageauctions.com/common/shipping.php">view shipping information</a>)
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