1/2 Penny - George II old bust

George II's copper halfpenny series of this period is notorious among specialists for its chaotic production history. The Royal Mint was operating under a contract system that incentivized speed over quality, and the old bust dies — cut after the king's features had aged considerably from earlier issues — were used well past their serviceable life. The result is that later dates in this run show progressive die deterioration, and distinguishing 1749 from 1750 strikes can require close attention to specific die crack patterns documented in Peck's reference work on British copper coinage.