Lot 2311
Great Britain. Brass Proof Halfpenny, 1722. George I. Second issue. Type of S-3660. Peck-801, listed as "Excessively Rare." The Spink price guide rather blithely lists each date and variety in this short series (1719-24) with a price in EF grade. However, what is not told there is that finding an EF of any date is a daunting task. As mentioned in our description of the Dump issue, these are crudely made coins, loaded with flaws ordinarily, and they went to wear fast being almost pure copper. Every date is rare in nice grade. However, among the varieties is a major rarity, a coin struck experimentally in brass (specific gravity 8.77, 85% copper and 15% zinc), not copper. This coin! It has a plain edge (not viewable in the slab) and obviously the preparation of the blank or flan was special. This coin does not have the cracks and flaws so much associated with the copper strikes. Obviously, the Royal Mint was seeking alternatives, several years into making these halfpennies for George I. One can only assume that brass was too expensive, and so it was dropped as an idea. What remains are the couple of known examples made of brass, one in the British Museum, this specimen, possibly another (although we believe the current lot is the only one in private hands). Light reddish brown toning but showing the brass color clearly. A spectacular, irreplaceable early 18th-century rarity, and both a landmark coin and one of the "copper stars" of the Cheshire Collection. NGC graded Proof 61.
Estimated Value $2,750 - 3,250.
The Cheshire Collection.
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| Realized $4,140 |
