US Virginia Halfpenny (Fakes are possible) 1773

Authorized for use in Virginia by the British Crown, these circulated in the colonies prior to the US Revolutionary War. Value is strongly dependent on condition. Dark, spotted, or corroded coins are not worth much. The coin in our picture is in well-preserved condition. Here are some typical catalog values:

worn: $50
average circulated: $170
well preserved: $400
fully uncirculated: $1200

If you read the obverse inscription, on some coins it will say 'GEORGIVS. III. REX.' but some coins are missing the dot after 'GEORGIVS'. Also, if you look at the harp inside the coat-of-arms on the reverse, it will sometimes have six strings, sometimes seven strings. The coin in our image has a dot after GEORGIVS, and the harp has six strings.

There are some combinations of die varieties that are worth more than others. If you own one of these coins, it may be wise to take it to a local coin shop where a professional numismatist can take a look at it in hand and help you to figure out what kind of variety your coin is. An experienced collector can also help with this.

Use our Important Terminology page to convert these catalog values to actual buy and sell values.

There are some known fakes with patterns that are very close to genuine coins. Often a precise weight will separate reproductions from real coins. Genuine Virginia halfpennies weigh between 7.1 and 7.6 grams.

CoinQuest thanks CoinAucstionsHelp.com for use of their coin photo.
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