1795 Liberty & Security - Birmingham Edge Half Penny

Coin Details

Description

Bearing "BIRMINGHAM" edge lettering identifying its English origin, this 1795 Liberty & Security halfpenny is cataloged as Baker 31C, Musante GW-43, and Whitman 10830 (PCGS #758). Struck in copper at approximately 9.5 grams with a 29 mm diameter, the Birmingham inscription provides definitive provenance connecting this token to the prolific manufacturing center in Birmingham, England. The Liberty & Security series features Washington's portrait with LIBERTY AND SECURITY — a dual concept encapsulating the early republic's aspirations — on the obverse, with allegorical or heraldic imagery on the reverse. Produced for the American market, these circulated alongside foreign coins, state coppers, and tokens during the 1790s. The 1795 date places this during Birmingham's peak token production era. The Birmingham edge serves as both maker's identification and quality mark, associating the token with the city renowned for the finest copper tokens of the era. Scarce — the Birmingham edge separates this from plain or other lettered edge versions in the Liberty & Security family.

Rarity Notes

Scarce. The Birmingham edge identifies the manufacturing origin.

Cross References

Baker 31C; Musante GW-43; Whitman 10830