1/2 Penny - Machin's Mills

Machin's Mills was a counterfeiting operation in Newburgh, New York, run by Captain Thomas Machin beginning around 1787 — producing imitation British halfpennies at weights and sizes that varied wildly batch to batch, which is precisely why the weight range on genuine examples spans nearly two full grams. The date 1747 is fictitious; it was stamped to mimic older British regal issues and avoid scrutiny, since colonial Americans were accustomed to circulating worn, decades-old copper. The operation was eventually shut down under pressure from state authorities, but not before flooding the northeastern states with millions of pieces.