'1775'' 1/2P Machin's Mills Half Penny

Coin Details

Description

Produced at Thomas Machin's private mint near Newburgh, New York, this halfpenny bears the date 1775 on the obverse — a deliberately backdated imitation of the British George III halfpenny rather than a genuine product of that year. Machin's Mills, established along the Moodna Creek in Orange County, operated from approximately 1787 to 1790 and produced lightweight copper imitations of the regal British halfpenny, primarily for circulation in New York and surrounding states where small change remained chronically scarce. Cataloged by Vlack and listed as Whitman 7700, this variety is struck in copper, weighing approximately 7.5 grams with a 28 mm diameter and plain edge. Cataloged as PCGS #457. The 1775 date was chosen to give the piece the appearance of a pre-Revolutionary British coin, as genuine George III coppers circulated widely in the former colonies and were accepted in everyday commerce regardless of their origin. Machin's operation existed in a legal gray area — while counterfeiting British coins was technically illegal, the practical need for small-denomination circulating copper and the loose enforcement environment of the Confederation period allowed these imitations to fill an economic void. Classified as scarce, this variety is sought by collectors of both colonial American coppers and British-style imitation halfpennies. The Vlack reference catalog organizes Machin's Mills halfpennies by die combination, documenting the range of dates and portrait styles produced at this historically significant private mint.

Rarity Notes

Scarce.

Cross References

Vlack; Whitman 7700