1787 NY 1/2P Indian Obv/George Rev Half Penny

Coin Details

Description

Pairing an Indian Head obverse with a George III (or George Clinton) reverse, this 1787 New York copper halfpenny represents one of the more unusual die combinations — a muling — from the diverse New York coinage operations of the Confederation period. Cataloged as Whitman 5785 and PCGS #442, this very rare muling demonstrates the variety of obverse and reverse dies available at the New York coining facility, where dies depicting different subjects were sometimes combined in experimental or opportunistic pairings. The Indian Head obverse reflects the symbolic vocabulary of American independence, while the George reverse — whether representing the British monarch or New York's first governor George Clinton — creates a juxtaposition of Native American and European imagery on a single coin. New York authorized copper coinage in 1787, and the coins were produced by several different operators including Machin's Mills in Newburgh, leading to a complex series of varieties and mulings that challenge even experienced colonial specialists. This piece belongs to the Post-1776 States Coinage (1776-1788) series and occupies a special place in New York numismatics because die mulings — the pairing of obverse and reverse dies from different series or intended combinations — are among the rarest and most studied varieties in colonial American coinage, providing direct evidence of the die inventory management practices at early American minting operations.

Rarity Notes

Very rare muling.

Cross References

Whitman 5785