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1/2 Penny Starr and Shannon
| Issuer | Starr & Shannon |
|---|---|
| Year | 1815 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Copper |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Orientation | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Central device features a finely detailed three-masted square-rigged sailing ship under full sail, depicted in left profile riding stylized ocean waves, rendered with considerable detail in the rigging, masts, and billowing sails. The legend HALFPENNY TOKEN arcs across the upper periphery, and NOVA SCOTIA curves along the lower periphery, both in bold capital letters. The entire design is enclosed within a continuous beaded border, consistent with the obverse treatment, giving the token a unified and professional appearance. |
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| Additional information |
Starr & Shannon operated as general merchants in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and issued copper tokens in the mid-1810s to address the chronic small-change shortage that plagued British North America following the Napoleonic Wars. Imperial copper rarely reached the colonies in sufficient quantities, and private merchants routinely filled the gap with their own struck tokens — which, despite having no official sanction, circulated freely and were generally accepted at face value.
Breton 884 is among the better-documented Nova Scotia merchant issues of the period.