at 400 dots / inch
at 400 dots / inch
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This coin is an example of an Irish copper halfpenny of Elizabeth I struck in early 1601. The coin dates from early 1601 because the examples from later in 1601 use the trefoil mintmark (rather than the star in this example).
The legends are weak and illegible in places but normally read :
This coin is specifically referred to as a copper halfpenny because the normal English halfpennies of the period were silver coins. Most of the coins I have used to illustrate these pages are in grades which are above average for the type and in many cases amongst the finest known examples. This coin is a clear exception - it is only in About Fine condition. In its favour is the fact that the flan is round and the coin is well centred - the date is clear and legible and about 50% of the legend is clear, and the mintmark on the reverse is clearly a star (six pointed) so the coin can be fully identified. However the surfaces are generally pitted from old corrosion and the shield is particularly weak. This is about average for a coin of this type - and better examples are not particulalry difficult to come by. Many of the surviving examples of these halfpennies have suffered from some leve of corrosion and have pitted surfaces - many examples also have poorly struck up areas or are struck off-centre. A coin in Very Fine condition with good surfaces would be quite scarce and anything better is rare. It is worth noting that the 1602 halfpennies are more difficult to find in any respectable condition than 1601 examples with either mintmark. Related pages: Elizabeth I - Copper penny of 1601 (mm Star) Irish Coinages of Elizabeth I (1558 - 1602)
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