1787 CT 1/2P DB Left - ETIIB Half Penny

Coin Details

Description

Featuring one of the more notable reverse legend errors in the Connecticut copper series, this 1787 half penny renders ETIIB instead of the correct ET LIB on the reverse — a blundered abbreviation of Et Libertatem et Independentiam that substitutes incorrect letters in the legend around the seated Liberty figure. Struck in copper at approximately 6.8 grams with a 28.5 mm diameter and plain edge, the obverse shows a draped bust facing left with the AUCTORI CONNEC legend. The DB Left designation indicates the Draped Bust Left portrait style, one of several bust types identified in the Connecticut copper series. Cataloged as Miller 33.9-Z.15 and Whitman 2998, with PCGS #394, this variety is classified as scarce and stands out among the reverse legend errors for the severity of its blunder — ETIIB bears only a passing resemblance to the intended ET LIB text. Connecticut coppers were produced from 1785 through 1788 under contracts granted by the state legislature, with production at multiple facilities including Abel Buell's operation in New Haven. The Miller numbering system catalogs Connecticut coppers by obverse and reverse die combinations, with the 33-series obverse dies paired with various Z-series reverses to create the numerous die marriages documented in this portion of the catalog. Legend error varieties are particularly popular with colonial copper specialists because each blunder provides a unique window into the die-cutting process and the literacy levels of the craftsmen who produced these coins under sometimes rushed conditions.

Rarity Notes

Scarce. One of the more notable reverse legend errors.

Cross References

Miller 33.9-Z.15; Whitman 2998