1795 1/2 P North Wales - 2 Stars Half Penny

Coin Details

Description

Cataloged as Baker 34, Musante GW-54, Whitman 10950, and PCGS #776, this 1795 Washington North Wales halfpenny is distinguished by two stars flanking the design elements on the reverse, setting it apart from other North Wales types that lack this stellar embellishment. The North Wales reverse die — featuring a harp or similar design associated with the Welsh principality — was a standard die element in the inventory of British token manufacturers who combined it with various obverse dies, including the Washington portrait, to produce tokens for multiple markets simultaneously. These tokens exploited Washington's immense popularity on both sides of the Atlantic, pairing his recognizable bust with existing British die stock to create pieces that appealed to American collectors and the growing souvenir market. The two-star configuration on this variant serves as the primary diagnostic feature for die identification, distinguishing it from the broader family of North Wales halfpennies produced in several die combinations during the mid-1790s. British manufacturers in Birmingham and other industrial centers mass-produced these copper tokens using interchangeable die pairs, a manufacturing practice that generated the extraordinary variety of colonial-era token types documented in the Baker, Musante, and Whitman catalogs. Scarce, the two-star variety represents a distinctive die combination within the North Wales halfpenny series that is sought after by specialists building complete sets of Washington pieces organized by die varieties.

Rarity Notes

Scarce. The two-star variety is a distinctive die combination.

Cross References

Baker 34; Musante GW-54; Whitman 10950