Catalog
1/2 Penny - Copper 'Bust Facing Left'
| Issuer | State of Connecticut |
|---|---|
| Year | 1785 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Draped bust of a figure facing left, wearing a laurel wreath and classical drapery, rendered in crude provincial style typical of early American state coinage. The hair flows loosely behind the neck, and the truncation of the bust is visible at the lower portion of the field. The circular legend AUCTORI CONNEC arcs around the periphery, with the lettering divided on either side of the effigy. |
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| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
Connecticut was among the first American states to establish its own coinage authority after independence, receiving legislative approval in October 1785. The state contracted private minters — including Samuel Bishop, Joseph Hopkins, and James Hillhouse — who operated with considerable latitude, producing an enormous range of die varieties across the 1785–1788 series. The facing-left bust type represents one of the earliest die groupings from this arrangement.
Miller die varieties for this specific type number in the dozens, and attribution can hinge on subtle details of the bust truncation and lettering spacing.