1772 1772' 1/2P Machin's Mills Half Penny

Coin Details

Description

Dated 1772 but produced circa 1787-1790, this Machin's Mills copper halfpenny imitates British George III coinage with a backdated year falling during the period of British rule in America. Cataloged by Vlack and listed as Whitman 7640, this is one of the more commonly encountered dates in the Machin's Mills series, classified as common for the series in the rarity notes. The 1772 date would have corresponded to genuine George III halfpennies circulating in the American colonies, making these imitations virtually indistinguishable from authentic British coppers to the average person handling small change in the marketplace. Thomas Machin's mint near Newburgh, New York, produced these imitation halfpennies on copper planchets weighing approximately 7.5 grams with a 28 mm diameter and plain edge — lighter than the official British standard but close enough to pass without scrutiny. Cataloged as PCGS #451. The relative commonality of the 1772 date suggests this particular die saw extended use during the mint's production run, striking a larger number of coins than some of the scarcer dated dies. Machin's Mills halfpennies are collected both as a standalone colonial American series and as part of the broader category of British halfpenny imitations produced in North America during the late eighteenth century. The Vlack reference system provides systematic die variety classification for the series, enabling collectors to identify specific die combinations among the various dates and portrait styles produced at the Newburgh facility.

Rarity Notes

Common for the series.

Cross References

Vlack; Whitman 7640