Nova Scotia 1856 1/2 penny token
The first specimen was lot 1043 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2022), where it sold for $1,800. The catalog description[1] noted, "CANADA. Nova Scotia. 1/2 Penny, 1856. Victoria. PCGS PROOF-63 Brown. With LCW. A beautiful proof example of the popular token issue from Nova Scotia. Still displays a bit of original mint red in protected areas, and displays a somewhat muted brilliance, though when held to the light it has a bit of a rainbow effect. Great details can been seen on both sides as would be expected." While the circulation issue is fairly common, the proofs, struck in copper and bronze, are scarce. One penny tokens are also struck in 1856. Decimal coinage was introduced in 1861 and used until confederation.
Recorded mintage: 720,000.
Specification: copper or bronze.
Catalog reference: KM-5a; NS-5A1; Br-876.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Cross, W. K., The Charlton Standard Catalogue of Canadian Coins, 62nd Ed., Toronto: Charlton International, 2008.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The 2022 NYINC Sale: World and Ancient Coins, featuring the Mark and Lottie Salton Collection and the Pat Johnson Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2021.
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