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1/2 Penny George Rules - Hilarias
| Issuer | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Year | 1771 |
| Type | Emergency coin |
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|---|---|
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| Reverse description | A crowned Irish harp occupies the central field, with the date 1771 divided and placed to either side of the harp's lower section. The legend HILA RIAS is arranged around the upper circumference, intentionally fragmented and misspelled as a typical evasion device to distinguish the token from a lawful coin of the realm. The overall design is a debased imitation of the reverse of the contemporary George III copper halfpenny. |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
The name "George Rules — Hilarias" marks this as a merchant or tavern token rather than official Royal Mint production. By 1771, the chronic shortage of regal copper small change in Britain had created a vacuum filled by private issuers — publicans, tradesmen, and civic bodies — striking their own halfpenny-sized pieces to keep commerce moving. Atkins catalogued hundreds of these, and no. 171 sits in that sprawling documentary effort James Atkins undertook in the 1890s to systematize what had been a chaotic, poorly recorded series.
"Hilarias" suggests a possible tavern name, a Latin play on good cheer common in pub signage of the period.