Ancient, British and World Coins and Banknotes

Victoria (1837-1901), Young Head, Pattern Halfpenny, 1859, in cupro-nickel, after W. Wyon, bust left, double plain fillet, within inner circle, date below, rev. Britannia seated right, value expressed as a fraction in field, rose, thistle and shamrock below, edge plain, 5.59g/12h (BMC – [cf. 2019]; Freeman – [cf. 727]). Circular die flaw in reverse field, otherwise very fine and of the highest rarity, previously unpublished (£800-1,000)

Illustrated on the front cover.

This most interesting coin, which uniquely has the value expressed as a fraction in the rev. field, is part of a series of official patterns dated 1857 and 1859, made in anticipation of a change to decimal coinage. Many of the dies for these are believed to have been engraved by Leonard Wyon’s cousin James (BMC p.450; Freeman p.145), although the head on this particular coin is taken from William Wyon’s last shilling punch. The only other halfpenny with the same designs and legends both sides, but without the mark of value, is the coin in the Royal Mint Museum (BMC 2019)