king george II and III half pences

[hessian raider]

I found these coppers on a hill overlooking a colonial era mill site. I think it was the site of the mill owners house, just a guess on my part. the KG III is on top, KG II on the bottom. these coins are VERY worn, so I worked them up as reversed negatives to try to bring out some of the detail. I got the idea from the rev. neg. pictures of the shroud of Turin. I can just barely make out the date on the KG III, 1788. I can't make out the last 2 numbers on the KG II, but I know they where minted from 1733 to 1754 (with a short break between) that would put it between 254 and 275 years old.

 

[Iron Patch]

That looks like some bad radioactive dirt you're hunting.

1788 is an impossible date for a regal george III & George II started in 1729.

 

[hessian raider]

why would the KG III be an impossible date? he held the throne until 1820...

 

[hogge]

Check the weights....Regal King George III went until 1775 I believe....Iron Patch knows more about these than I. You probably have a counterfeit 1788. I have found 4 counterfeit King G. III this yr.,and a counterfeit 1775 Irish 1/2 penny. You have to check weight in grams and does the coin appear worn or struck on a shallow die? Use heated peroxide to clean these up. Doesn't hurt the coin and brings out detail. Hogge

 

[hessian raider]

thanks for the info on that. IDing these coins is difficult due to the heavy wear, I can only compare them to pictures on coin sites. I did suspect the KG III to be a fake; I read that they where widely counterfeited. I did do a heated peroxide bath; there appears to be a few remnants of cladding and a very shallow but even strike beneath it.

 

[Derek752]

Congrats HR on the KG coppas !!

I like the shroud of George idea

Really hunt that site hard , gotta be more !!

D.

 

[Iron Patch]

why would the KG III be an impossible date? he held the throne until 1820...

George III (1700s) halfpennies were only minted from 1770-1775.

Looking at your picture again are you sure the smaller coin is a George III? The little I can see almost looks like a French bust, and if so 1788 could be a likely date.

 

[Evolution]

why would the KG III be an impossible date? he held the throne until 1820...

George III (1700s) halfpennies were only minted from 1770-1775.

Looking at your picture again are you sure the smaller coin is a George III? The little I can see almost looks like a French bust, and if so 1788 could be a likely date.

I agree with IP here. The bust looks wrong......even for a Machin's Mills. Nice coins though. Congrats.

 

[hessian raider]

the reason I thought it was a KG III was because I can make out "III" and "REX" to the right of the bust. although you can't see it in the pictures (rev. neg. or normal) the obverse is a seated figure holding a spear with a shield beside her, holding up something with her other hand. the half pence was the closest match I could find. given the size difference, could it possibly be a farthing?

 

[Don in SJ]

Can you repost with normal photos and if you have the diameter in millimeters, weight in grams or grains and then maybe a better answer can be forthcoming. There IS a 1788 copper halfpenny with GEORGIVS REX III on the Obverse side with a Brittania figure on the Reverse, however it does not say BRITTANIA on the Reverse it says INDE ET LIB, since it is a CT copper.....

Don

 

[Iron Patch]

Can you repost with normal photos and if you have the diameter in millimeters, weight in grams or grains and then maybe a better answer can be forthcoming. There IS a 1788 copper halfpenny with GEORGIVS REX III on the Obverse side with a Brittania figure on the Reverse, however it does not say BRITTANIA on the Reverse it says INDE ET LIB, since it is a CT copper.....

Don

The size is the key, even in the picture posted the "1788" is definitely not halfpenny size.

 

[West Jersey Detecting]

I am amazed at how many people (myself included ) dug KG coppers this weekend! I have nothing to add to what Don said, except that it is a good idea to invest in a digital scale and a coin caliper, if you do not already have them. I bought a scale on eBay for about $12 including shipping. Make sure the scale has both grams and grains. Grains was the unit of measure used for colonial coins. I use an old pipe caliper to measure diameter. Make sure it is metric. Mine is Imperial and I need to convert inches to millimeters.

 

[hessian raider]

sorry about the delay in posting, I just borrowed a dial caliper from a friend. measured the supposed KG III; 26.5 mm. also, got another copper today; can just barely make out a left facing bust, the other side has no detail- 21mm. any ideas?

 

[BuckleBoy]

We need good photos, taken in good, natural light, with the macro setting on a digital camera.


The supposed KG III is not a "fake" but rather an authentic, circulating 1700s coin--just not made in by the Crown. "Counterfeit" doesn't in any way negate a find like that--and in some cases, the contemporary counterfeits can be more valuable than the original coins are.



Regards,



Buckleboy

 

[Iron Patch]

the reason I thought it was a KG III was because I can make out "III" and "REX" to the right of the bust. although you can't see it in the pictures (rev. neg. or normal) the obverse is a seated figure holding a spear with a shield beside her, holding up something with her other hand. the half pence was the closest match I could find. given the size difference, could it possibly be a farthing?

Yes, if George III it looks the right size for a farthing.

 

[Iron Patch]

--and in some cases, the contemporary counterfeits can be more valuable than the original coins are.







Buckleboy

Not just some cases, it's basically all cases for a farthing or halfpenny. But the closer the coin is the the regal issue the closer the price will be, most times being the same.

 

[tulecanyon]

ok, my family were registered property owners in the flatbush in 1652.

every time i hear "king george", 'down with' interposes itself into the recognition code for my poor old brain.

makes reading about these coins difficult.