1786 CT 1/2P Hercules Head Half Penny

Coin Details

Auction Record

$10,800 • AU53 • 01-2014 • Heritage Auctions

Description

Named for its distinctively muscular portrait that evokes the classical hero Hercules, this 1786 Connecticut copper halfpenny is cataloged across several die marriages including Miller 5.3-L, 5.4-L.1, and related combinations, with Whitman listing 2555. Struck in copper, weighing 8 grams at 28.5 mm diameter with a plain edge, and identified as PCGS #334, it sold for $10,800 in AU53 at Heritage Auctions in January 2014, demonstrating the premium that well-preserved examples of this popular named variety command. The obverse features a mailed bust portrait that, unlike the more conventionally classical profiles found on other Connecticut coppers, displays an exaggerated muscularity and forceful expression that prompted the "Hercules Head" nickname — one of the most evocative designations in the entire Connecticut copper series, alongside the Laughing Head, Draped Bust, and African Head varieties. The reverse presents the standard seated Liberty figure with INDE ET LIB legend. Connecticut's authorized copper coinage, produced from 1785 through 1788 under contracts initially granted to Samuel Bishop and associates, generated an extraordinary diversity of obverse portrait styles as multiple die cutters — including the talented but often eccentric Abel Buell — created individual dies with distinctive artistic interpretations of the mailed bust motif. Moderately scarce and consistently popular due to its distinctive portrait, the Hercules Head variety appeals to collectors who appreciate the individualistic artistry of Connecticut copper die engravers working at the boundary between classical convention and personal expression.

Rarity Notes

Moderately scarce. Popular variety due to distinctive portrait.

Cross References

Miller 5.3-L, 5.4-L.1, and related; Whitman 2555