1788 CT 1/2P Mailed Bust Left - CONNLC Half Penny

Coin Details

Description

Identified as Miller 5-N and Whitman 3170, this 1788 Connecticut copper half penny pairs a mailed bust left obverse with the blundered legend CONNLC — a garbled rendering of CONNECTICUT that represents one of many legend errors characterizing the state's contract copper coinage. The mailed bust portrait shows chain mail armor on the shoulder, a design element drawn from contemporary British halfpenny iconography that Connecticut's private die sinkers adapted for the state's authorized coinage. The CONNLC legend error reflects the working conditions under which these dies were prepared: individual letter punches were struck into the die face one at a time by hand, and the combination of fatigue, poor lighting, and production speed pressures led to frequent misspellings that went uncorrected into production. Connecticut coppers from 1788, the final year of the state's coinage program, display some of the most varied and garbled legends in the series, suggesting declining attention to quality as the program neared its end. Struck in copper, the coin weighs approximately 7.5 grams with a 28.5 mm diameter and plain edge. Cataloged as PCGS #406. Classified as a moderately scarce legend error variety, the Miller 5-N die combination documents one specific pairing among the dozens used during 1788 production. The Miller reference system, established by Henry C. Miller and supplemented by Hillyer Ryder, remains the definitive attribution guide for Connecticut coppers, organizing the series by obverse and reverse die combinations.

Rarity Notes

Moderately scarce legend error variety.

Cross References

Miller 5-N; Whitman 3170