MLS 1959 Halfpenny Collectable British Coin - Uncirculated / Predecimal / UK Souvenir from London England Great Britain

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The 1916I Mule carries the standard Australian reverse for halfpennies of 1916, however, it is distinguishable by its obverse, which is that of an Indian quarter anna coin. It is Australia's rarest Commonwealth coin issued for circulation, and when its significance was first recognised in the Australian numismatic press in the mid 1960s, it was described as the "biggest find in coin history, and one of the most valuable." [5] There are currently 5 known specimens in existence, [2] and it is predicted that there are 6–10 examples in existence. [7] The decimal Halfpenny measured just 17.14mm, weighed only 1.78g and was only ever minted in bronze. It was the smallest ever UK coin. As a result, it was never very popular and was withdrawn in 1984. Even that, though led to controversy. Some felt that the initials were too prominent and amounted to advertising the artist’s work. Despite Brenner’s protests, his initials were removed. During Victoria's reign, the halfpenny was first issued with the so-called 'bun head', or 'draped bust' of Queen Victoria on the obverse. The inscription around the bust read VICTORIA D G BRITT REG F D. This was replaced in 1895 by the 'old head', or 'veiled bust'. The inscription on these coins read VICTORIA DEI GRA BRITT REGINA FID DEF IND IMP.

And when the coin was submitted to independent grading agencies, they refused to rule it was authentic. In 2002, with the coin about to be offered for sale at auction, a convicted forger called Mark Hofmann wrote a letter to his daughter claiming he’d faked it. The shortage of small coins was finally resolved in 1797. In this year, industrialist, Matthew Bolton was authorised by The Bank of England to strike the first legal tender copper one Penny and two Penny coins. The ship featured on the reverse design, which first appeared on the 1937 halfpenny pattern of Edward VIII, is based on Sir Francis Drake's Golden Hind, in which he became the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe between 1577 and 1580. Coins issued during the reign of Edward VII feature his likeness and bear the inscription EDWARDVS VII DEI GRA BRITT OMN REX FID DEF IND IMP. Similarly, those issued during the reign of George V feature his likeness and bear the inscription GEORGIVS V DEI GRA BRITT OMN REX FID DEF IND IMP. The historical context of how the Indian Quarter Anna obverse came onto 1916 Halfpenny, is that during World War I the Royal Mint of London assigned the production of a range of Australian coins to the Calcutta Mint, with the reason for this change being that there were allay concerns that the German Navy could have the ability to intercept or sink maritime deliveries of coinage from Britain to Australia. [5] This would not have only had the consequence of expense, but would have also been morale-shattering in a time of great need. The 1916 Australian halfpenny and penny were the first non-Indian coins to be produced by the Royal Mint's Calcutta branch. [5]

The obverse of the coin featured the current reigning monarch of Australia (excluding 1936 when Edward VIII was King). Three monarchs were featured; King George V, King George VI, and Queen Elizabeth II. All halfpennies produced with George VI and Elizabeth II had the Kangaroo Reverse. [5] The familiar motto “IN GOD WE TRUST” is inscribed above Lincoln’s portrait. Further down and to the left is the word “LIBERTY”. The date is a little lower down on the right-hand side.

Early Pennies were pure silver, exchangeable for and worth their weight in the precious metal. The Halfpence coins were, likewise, half the weight and also equal in value to their weight in the precious metal content. a b c d e f g h Pitt, Alan B. (2009). Renniks Australian Coin and Banknote Values: over 45 Years as the Premier Guide for Coins and Banknotes. Renniks Publications. That year marked the bicentenary of Lincoln’s birth, and again, a new design was commissioned for the occasion. This showed the “Union shield”, and it’s the design you’ll still see on modern Lincoln pennies.Bronze Pennies weighed just under 10g and measuring slightly under 31mm. The Halfpenny coins weighed 5.67g and measured 25.48mm. Until 1937 the Halfpenny design followed that of the Penny. After this date, on the reverse of half Penny coins, Britannia was replaced with an image of Sir Francis Drake's ship the Golden Hind. Ha’porth: British English i.e. ' halfpenny-worth' or ' halfpennyworth' pronounced / ˈ h eɪ p ə θ/. [6] [7] Proofs come in three different qualities. Because they were never intended for circulation, all proof coins are red. But if there is an attractive contrast between reflective “fields” – the flat parts of the coin – and frosted raised parts of the design, the coin is classified as a “cameo”.