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1/2 Penny - George III 1st issue
| Issuer | Royal Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 1770-1775 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| In circulation to | 31 December 1869 |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | Seated allegorical figure of Britannia facing left, holding a long trident in her left hand and an olive branch in her right, with a shield bearing the Union flag resting against her left side. The figure is positioned centrally within the field, with a surrounding legend above and the date inscribed in the exergue below. The composition follows the traditional Britannia type established in earlier British copper coinage, conveying themes of maritime power and imperial authority. |
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| Additional information |
These halfpennies were struck at a moment when the Royal Mint's copper coinage had fallen into near-total disrepute. Counterfeiting was so rampant by the 1760s and 1770s that genuine regal coppers were a minority in everyday circulation — contemporary estimates suggested fakes outnumbered authentic pieces by as much as two to one in some regions. The Mint's response was essentially to do nothing, continuing to produce underweight, poorly executed coins that counterfeiters could replicate with ease.
Matthew Boulton's famous petition to overhaul copper coinage dates from this exact period, driven in large part by the embarrassment these issues represented.