Numismatic

1723 Hibernia Half Penny VF

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This 1723 copper halfpenny carries a fascinating tale of rejection and migration. Originally minted for use in Ireland, these pieces met with fierce resistance from the local population, who refused to accept them. Consequently, the unwanted coinage was shipped across the Atlantic to colonial America, where a currency-starved public welcomed them. Long before the United States declared independence, these Irish coins circulated as everyday legal tender in the early American colonies. The obverse of the coin features a right-facing portrait of King George, surrounded by the Latin inscription GEORGIUS DEI GRATIA REX. The reverse depicts a seated female figure representing Hibernia, positioned next to a harp on her left, accompanied by the inscription HIBERNIA and the date of 1723. Preserved in Very Fine condition, this copper piece offers a tangible connection to the unusual monetary pathways of the pre-revolutionary transatlantic world.