1788 NJ Head Right - Braided Mane Half Penny

Coin Details

Description

Companion to the Brushed Mane variety, this 1788 New Jersey copper features a horse with a distinctively braided or woven mane that creates a unique plaited texture not seen on any other die in the series. Cataloged as Maris 66-s and Whitman 4930, the Braided Mane variety stands alongside the Brushed Mane as one of two named mane varieties in the 1788 New Jersey horse-head series — the only year when the horse's head replaced the plow as the primary obverse motif. The braided treatment gives the mane an orderly, structured appearance that contrasts sharply with the flowing, loose strands of the Brushed Mane, and the difference reflects the distinct artistic sensibility of a particular die sinker who chose to render the horse's hair in this stylized manner. This scarce variety belongs to the Post-1776 States Coinage (1776-1788) series. The 1788 New Jersey coppers represent the final year of state-authorized copper coinage in New Jersey, and the transition from plow to horse-head obverse designs marks a significant design evolution within the series. The reverse carries the standard state shield design. Named mane varieties are among the most collectible types in the New Jersey series because their descriptive names — Brushed Mane, Braided Mane — make them accessible to collectors at all levels, offering distinctive visual features that can be identified without specialized die-marriage knowledge.

Rarity Notes

Scarce variety.

Cross References

Maris 66-s; Whitman 4930