1787 NJ 1/2P Small Plan - Plain Shield Half Penny

Coin Details

Description

Featuring both a "small planchet" format and a "plain shield" reverse design, this 1787 New Jersey copper half penny was struck on a notably lighter planchet weighing only 5.5 grams — approximately a gram lighter than the standard 6.7 gram specification — while maintaining the 29 mm diameter and plain edge of the standard format. The "plain shield" reverse refers to a die where the state arms are rendered without the bold outlines or heavy borders seen on some other reverse dies, creating a cleaner, less embellished appearance. Cataloged as Maris 33-L and Whitman 4825, with PCGS #506, this variety is described as common for the series. The lighter weight may reflect either a deliberate attempt to economize on copper (a common cost-saving measure among private contract coiners who profited from the difference between the face value of the coins and the cost of the copper) or the use of thinner planchet stock during a particular phase of production. New Jersey coppers were produced under private contract from 1786 through 1788, and weight variation across the series is well documented, with individual specimens ranging from well below to well above the nominal standard. The combination of small planchet and plain shield creates a distinctive die marriage that, while common, provides collectors with an interesting example of the weight and design variations that characterized state copper coinage production during the Confederation period.

Rarity Notes

Common for the series.

Cross References

Maris 33-L; Whitman 4825