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1/2 Penny Imitation Bust and Harp
| Issuer | Canadian provinces |
|---|---|
| Year | 1835 |
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| Shape | Round |
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| Obverse description | Crude imitation draped bust facing right, executed with notably poor artistry characteristic of contemporary counterfeits and emergency issues. The effigy displays a disproportionately small nose and a receding, weak chin, distinguishing it from official British regal coinage. A ribbon is present in the hair, with its ends pointing inward toward the neck truncation. The surrounding field is plain, devoid of any legend or inscription. The overall style is coarse and irregular, consistent with the work of an unofficial or colonial die-cutter. |
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| Mintage | 1835: ND (1835) |
| Additional information |
These imitation halfpennies were produced by private British token manufacturers — primarily in Birmingham — to fill the chronic small-change shortage that plagued Upper and Lower Canada throughout the 1820s and 1830s. Colonial authorities had little practical means to stop the flood, and merchants accepted them out of necessity rather than any legal obligation. The CCT BL-34 designation places this piece within Breton's broader taxonomy of anonymous bust-and-harp pieces, a category notorious for the number of dies used and the difficulty of precise attribution to a single issuer or contract.