Lot 2214
1773 Virginia Halfpenny with Stop after S Breen-180. MS-64. Lustrous mint red fading to steel and light olive on the highpoints, at least two-thirds of the original red remaining. No spots or stains. The only marks are some barely visible nicks under the X in REX; otherwise this piece is a solid gem. Variety with 7 harpstrings. These Virginia Halfpennies were struck by the English government specifically for use by colonists in America. The example offered here is most likely from the small keg of bright mint state examples obtained prior to 1803 by Israel Cohen. This hoard was completely dispersed by Cohen's descendants by the end of 1929. Thanks to this hoard, mint state examples of the Virginia Halfpenny are often available in the marketplace, but this is one of the really nice survivors from that group. Comes with a photo certification from the Colonial American Coin Club signed by Walter Breen and Don Taxay on which they assigned a grade of "Absolutely blazing red uncirculated, and rare so." Obviously this coin looked as special to Walter Breen in the mid-1970's as it does to us today.
Estimated Value $1,000-UP.
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| Realized $1,438 |
