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1/2 Penny - Rosa Americana
| Issuer | William Wood (private patent coinage) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1722 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | A large uncrowned Tudor-style rose occupies the central field, depicted with two rows of petals and a prominent seeded center, with small sepals and leaves visible between the petals. Surrounding the rose, the circular Latin legend reads 1722 · ROSA · AMERI : UTILE · DULCI ·, meaning 'American Rose — the useful with the pleasant,' referencing the commercial purpose of the coinage. The rim is finished with the same decorative milled or rope border as the obverse, consistent throughout the Rosa Americana series issued under William Wood's patent. |
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| Additional information |
William Wood obtained his patent to coin copper for the American colonies in 1722 through a grant from George I, widely suspected to have been facilitated by the King's mistress, the Duchess of Kendal, who reportedly received £10,000 for her role in securing it. The colonial reaction was hostile from the start. Wood's coinage was never formally authorized by the colonial assemblies, and in Ireland — where he held a parallel patent — Jonathan Swift's Drapier's Letters generated enough public fury to effectively kill that issue. The American pieces fared only marginally better, circulating sporadically before the patent was surrendered in 1722.
The brass alloy Wood called "orichalcum" was his own proprietary formula, which he promoted as superior to standard copper.