Coppers in the colonial period. 1773 VA 1/2P 1 1

[Aggregator2023]

Hello everyone. I purchased a 1773 VA 1/2P from a very reputable dealer two months ago. Very lovely, scarce, XF details, for $675.00.  I had the coin graded and was shocked to find out yesterday that the coin is a counterfeit.  According to a scholarly article titled, "The Copper Panic and Small Change Notes 1789-1799", there is mention of , the halfpence in 1773. About five tons (about 670,000 coins) of specially designed halfpence  minted in London for the colony of Virginia. I can not find any other information on this coin to inform the purchaser/owner on how to determine if the coin is counterfeit?  I would like to learn more about this coin.  Below is the article.

Coppers in the colonial period

During the colonial period there was an inadequate coin supply throughout the American colonies. Colonists had to adapt to foreign silver coins as the British government outlawed the export of silver coinage from the homeland and discouraged colonial minting.

The creation and retention of an adequate supply of small change copper coins was also a continual problem in colonial America. This situation differed from the problem with silver coinage. There were no restrictions on importing British coppers, so while the colonists had to look toward foreign coinage for their silver they could expect British denominated small change coppers. The earliest supplies were brought over by the colonists themselves. In 1681 Mark Newby brought a large supply of Irish St. Patrick coppers to New Jersey. In the following year, 1682, a group of Quakers brought some 300 pounds of British halfpence and farthings to Philadelphia.

Even though small change continued to be scarce, the colonists resisted lightweight base metal coinages imposed on them by Britain. In 1688, with government approval, Richard Holt coined tin "American Plantations Tokens" that were never accepted by the colonists. Later, in 1722-24 William Wood made another attempt at minting coins for the colonies obtaining royal authorization to produce "Rosa Americana " coppers (actually the coins were made of a compound called Bath metal composed of Brass, zinc and a little silver). These coins were two and a half times lighter than royal British halfpence and were rejected by the colonists. In Massachusetts the colony printed small change currency notes on parchment so citizens would have an alternative to the hated Rosa Americanas.

To increase the local supply of small change Samuel Higley minted his own coppers in Simsbury, Connecticut in 1737. Beyond the small quantity of Higley coppers, the colonies primarily relied on counterfeit and royal British coppers imported from Britain and Ireland. In 1734-35 a unknown number of tons of such coppers were sent to Georgia. In 1749 Massachusetts received 800,000 royal halfpence and 420,000 royal farthings as part of a reimbursement for expenses incumbered during a military expedition against Fort Louisbourg on Cape Breton. Although some counterfeit coppers had entered the colonies earlier, in 1753 in Boston and New York notices started appearing about the seizure of large quantities of lightweight counterfeit halpence being smuggled into the country. The only other colonial produced copper was a small number of un-denominated tokens thought to be designed by James Smither of Philadelphia in 1766 honoring William Pitt as a leader in repealing the Stamp Tax. Finally, in 1773 about five tons (about 670,000 coins) of specially designed halfpence were minted in London for the colony of Virginia.

[Greenstang]

Welcome to the forum

If you would supply a clear photo of both sides of the coin in question along with the weight.  
and diameter, there may be someone on this forum that could determine why it is counterfeit.   
 

Edited March 27 by Greenstang

[Aggregator2023]

Thank you very much Greenstang.  I have been doing a great deal more research on this coin and found that many of these coins entered circulation in the 1780s. Part of an original keg of these were distribursed in 1929, thus they are not unobtainable in mint state.  Mine is the bust of George III pattern.

Known counterfeits: Replicas for sale in Williamsburg are marked CWF below bust. More dangerous counterfeits also exist according to WARMANS 3RD Edition, Coins and Paper Money, Allen G. Berman, pg.23 under Virginia (State Coppers).

 

I will try to take a photo and post here.  I do not have a scale to weigh the coin but will go to a coin dealer to get the weight.

Thank you very much for your response.  See you in a few days.

 

Edited March 27 by Aggregator2023

[Aggregator2023]

Good morning.  Here are the photos of my 1773 1/2P, Virginia coin.  The coin is chocolate BN.

 

 

 

 

Edited March 28 by Aggregator2023
line through wording.

[powermad5000]

Obverse

 

Reverse

 

This coin is listed in NGC Coin Explorer under Colonials [Other} as there is a version with a period and also a no period version. Yours seems to resemble the no period. I actually wish the copy and paste of these were smaller but as you can see there is much on your coin that does not match a genuine piece.

I haven't been on this part of the forum for a while as I have been looking at too many 1982 D Large Dates and damaged coins in the Newbie section.

[Mike Meenderink]

Hello and welcome to the forum. Your coin is a crude cast counterfeit most likely made contemporaneously or not soon after the authentic version of this coin was minted. The rim and edge do not show signs of striking and the details on the coin are incorrect, slumped and mushy. Evidence of casting is also apparent in the visible porosity and small round voids in one side of the coin. Below is a close up of the evidence of casting where the metal was very irregular, porous and built up instead of struck down. Thats why it's a fake.

Edited August 22 by Mike Meenderink

[Henri Charriere]

🐓  :  I do not ordinarily stray into Newbie Territory, but there are a few matters brought up which ought to be revisited.

Some facts... the OP joined in late January this year and was last heard from in late April, some three (3) months later.

If this is accurate, he did not benefit from the helpful advice of both @powermad5000 and @Mike Meenderink   who only weighed in within the past week.

What is even more disturbing is not knowing the final disposition of the coin.  The photos and commentary from two well respected members is a slam-dunk, but I feel the membership was left hanging.  Was an attempt made to return the coin or was the two (2) months cited well beyond the terms of the Return Policy -- if there was one.

I have taken the liberty of sharing this Topic and accompanying thread with Quintus and I believe Henri C will attempt to contact the OP via PM.  I am sure I am not the only one curious as to this coin's final disposition.

I want to take this opportunity to thank our vigilant colleagues for their invaluable concern and in coming to the assistance of a fellow collector.
 

Edit:  Henri C. PMd the OP.

[Aggregator2023]

Good morning Mr. Henri Charriere, powermad5000, and Mike Meenderink.  My apologies for not responding sooner to this thread.  I have had several very pressing family matters in the past year which have needed my full attention. The coin in question was returned a couple months ago to the seller without any questions asked and I was fully refunded what I paid for the coin. I told the seller that I believed the coin to be a counterfeit.  Thank you for reaching out to me. Have a wonderful day.

Very respectfully,

Aggregator2023

[Greenstang]

Glad that you got a refund with no problems. There are a lot of sellers who would have
given you a hard time over returning it.

[Henri Charriere]

I love happy endings.  When I saw the OP's characterization of the dealer as "reputable" I felt he stood a chance and was encouraged to intervene.  No such concern wants a complaint or "Bad review."  I am delighted things worked out.  

 

[Aggregator2023]

Mr. Charriere, I too, was very pleased with the outcome.  I have known the dealer for many years.  He was as shocked as I was when the grade came back counterfeit.  He was sure it was not a counterfeit.  At any rate he is a true gentleman and a wonderful friend.  He gladly offered to take the coin back and refund me.  Thank you again for your assistance.  I have gained so much knowledge from this thread, especially on how to recognize casting and porosity. Again, thank you.

[powermad5000]

On 8/26/2024 at 1:23 PM, Aggregator2023 said:

He was as shocked as I was when the grade came back counterfeit.

Sometimes without being armed with all the proper information necessary, anyone can make a mistake when it comes to counterfeits, especially those crafted with great effort in an attempt to deceive. Being as he believed himself it to be genuine, and that you were sharp enough to question that, the coin ended up here for a time and was examined by several sets of eyes that led to a determination.

It sounds like your relationship to this dealer helped with you being made whole again. Glad the story ended well!

[Aggregator2023]

Yes, powermad5000, the story ended well.  We are all whole and life of course, moves forward :) .  Benjamin Franklin said, "Tell me and I forget.  Teach me and I remember.  Involve me and I learn".  I have gained so much knowledge here among the numismatic community.  Thank you very much.  Have a lovely evening.