1787 CT 1/2P Seated Liberty Right Half Penny

Coin Details

Description

One of the most unusual varieties in the entire Connecticut copper series, this 1787 half penny features a seated Liberty facing right on the reverse — a reversed orientation from the standard left-facing seated Liberty found on virtually all other Connecticut copper reverse dies. Cataloged as Miller 43-ff and Whitman 3130, the right-facing Liberty makes this variety immediately distinctive and highly sought after by colonial copper specialists. The anomalous orientation has generated scholarly debate about whether the die sinker deliberately reversed the figure's direction, made an error by working from a reversed model or impression, or produced this die at a separate facility with different design conventions. The rarity notes classify this as extremely rare with the reversed Liberty orientation, confirming its status as one of the premier varieties in the Connecticut copper series. The obverse carries a bust portrait with the AUCTORI CONNEC legend, while the reversed Liberty on the reverse sits with standard attributes but facing the opposite direction from convention. Struck in copper, the coin follows Connecticut halfpenny standards. The Miller 43-ff die combination specifically identifies the obverse and reverse die pair responsible for this variety. Connecticut coppers were produced by private contractors under the state legislature's 1785 authorization, and the diversity of die styles found across the series reflects the decentralized, multi-contractor production model. The extremely rare seated Liberty right variety stands apart from the hundreds of other Connecticut die combinations as a unique design anomaly that commands attention from specialists and generalists alike.

Rarity Notes

Extremely rare variety with reversed Liberty orientation.

Cross References

Miller 43-ff; Whitman 3130