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1/2 Penny Non-local - Great Britain / Commerce
| Issuer | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Year | 1814 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1/2 Penny (1⁄480) |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Technique | Log in to see details |
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| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Draped bust of a male figure facing right, occupying the central field, rendered in the classical style typical of early nineteenth-century British trade tokens. The legend GREAT BRITAIN arcs along the upper periphery in widely spaced capital letters. The design is contained within a beaded border running the full circumference of the coin. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
The "Non-local" designation places this piece among the vast class of 18th and early 19th century British trade tokens issued by merchants, manufacturers, and industrialists to address the chronic shortage of regal small change — a shortage the Royal Mint had largely ignored for decades. By 1814, the Copper Company and other token issuers had been officially suppressed by the Token Act of 1817, meaning pieces struck in these final years were produced in the full knowledge that their legal circulation window was closing.
The Withers reference anchors this to a catalogued die pairing. Not all "Commerce" tokens of this type share consistent copper quality; batches from smaller contractors frequently show alloy inconsistencies.