1787 1/2P Nova Eborac - Large Head Half Penny

Coin Details

Description

Featuring a substantially larger portrait than its small head counterpart, this 1787 Nova Eborac copper half penny is cataloged as Whitman 5810 and Breen 988. The large head obverse fills more of the die area with the laureate bust, giving the coin a bolder visual presence compared to the more delicately proportioned small head variety (Breen 989). NOVA EBORAC — the Latin name for New York, derived from Eboracum, the Roman designation for the English city of York — appears as the obverse legend, while the reverse carries a seated figure with VIRT ET LIB (Virtue and Liberty). Nova Eborac coppers were privately struck for circulation in New York during the Confederation period, produced by unidentified minters who recognized the commercial opportunity in supplying copper coinage to a state that had not established an authorized coinage program. Struck in copper, the coin weighs approximately 7 grams with a 28 mm diameter and plain edge. Cataloged as PCGS #484. Classified as moderately scarce, the large head variety is paired with the small head type by collectors seeking to represent both portrait styles in their holdings. Walter Breen assigned this variety catalog number 988 in his comprehensive encyclopedia, one number before the small head variant, reflecting the traditional ordering within the Nova Eborac series. The difference between the large and small head varieties likely reflects different die sinkers or different design intentions, with the large head version projecting greater authority through its more commanding portrait scale.

Rarity Notes

Moderately scarce.

Cross References

Whitman 5810; Breen 988