1 1/2 Pence Black Dog, T countermark on French 2 sous

The "Black Dog" was a common name applied to debased French colonial billon sous that circulated widely across the Caribbean after France's monetary system fractured during the Revolutionary period. Tortola, like several other British possessions in the region, faced a chronic shortage of small change and resolved it pragmatically — countermarking whatever foreign copper and billon coinage was already in local hands rather than waiting on London. The crowned "T" punch authorized these pieces for circulation at 1½ pence local currency.

The host coins were French 2 sous struck for colonial use, already badly debased before countermarking.