Hello all, need help with this coin. Not sure if its a 1775 or 1776 Britannia coin. It looks more like a 6. Also is it considered a Sm. date. The ones I looked at online have there dates further apart then this one. Thank you for the help. Edward M.
We're talking either halfpenny of a farthing - they have similar designs. So when you're looking online for a "Britannia coin" you may get an eyeful of wrong denominations. There are still slight differences, I believe yours is a halfpenny. To confirm that check the diameter, it should be 29 - 30 mm.
No halfpennies (or farthings) were struck with the date of 1776.
Its a contemporary counterfeit halfpence. There are different variations of the "5" that is some cases we do have 1776 forgeries of the period made predominatly by the button makes of Birmingham, England.
John, I know counterfeiting was rampant at the time. But may I ask what indications do you have to call this a contemporary counterfeit? (Trying to educate myself)
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