Great Britain 1738 half penny
This specimen was lot 75612 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, September 2025), where it sold for $720. The catalog description[1] noted, "GREAT BRITAIN. 1/2 Penny, 1738. London Mint. George II. ANACS MS-64 Brown. From the Richard August Collection." This type was struck 1729-39 with the young bust of the king. The catalog notes all dates as fairly common yet, despite this, the issue did not begin to meet the need for small change in eighteenth century Britain, where the shortfall was made up by large quantities of tradesmen's tokens and counterfeits. In the eighteenth century, farthings and half pence were the only copper denominations, the penny was still struck in silver.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 9.86 g, copper, 28 mm diameter, plain edge.
Catalog reference: S-3717; KM-566.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- Lobel, Richard, Mark Davidson, Allan Hailstone and Eleni Calligas, Coincraft's Standard Catalogue of English and UK Coins, 1066 to Date, London: Coincraft, 1995.
- Skingley, Philip, ed., Standard Catalogue of British Coins: Coins of England & the United Kingdom, 46th edition, London: Spink & Son, 2011.
- Freeman, Michael J., The Bronze Coinage of Great Britain, Rev. Ed., London: Spink & Son, 2006.
- Peck, C. Wilson, English Copper, Tin and Bronze Coins in the British Museum, 1558-1958, 2nd Ed., London: Oxford University Press, 1970.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, September 2025 World Collectors Choice Online Auction, including Selections from the Richard Margolis Collection and Selections from the L.E. Bruun Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2025.
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