Non-Regal 1775 Half Penny?

$2

Even with the closed G's - the whole field has plummeted downward. Really crude Simians are still being somewhat reasonable prices.

I discuss this in my new book out in November 2016. Try it on E-Bay at $9.99 - see if it sells.

JPL

Once researchers like Byron Weston, Jeff Rock, Roger Moore, Clem Schettino (see the Copperclem - website for some advanced specimens) and Rickie Rose (& others) started to create CC Families by die linking over the last 10 years, prices rose, U.K. dealers started importing even more pieces (they have been actually exporting for 30 years like Cobwright (Alan Judd - Evasion Copper Book author post the original 1892? Atkins original) the prices seen in the Stacks 2008 Ringo Sale eventually dropped as R8's became R5 and so on ... also it's extremely complex ... really only the ANS/CNL publications were writing about (what maybe ~ 100 subscribers) of the 22,000 in the ANA currently. So once this core group had their several hundred varieties of 10,000! projected varieties who else was coming in with that level of CC sophistication and commitment? ... who else was going to carry the torch? Interest waved after Ringo died - really. Simians or the extremely crude types &/or near Mint State piece however will hold their own - somewhat as well as Anton/Kesse pieces plated in the classic 1992 book (North American Colonies CC Book). In my new book Forgotten Coins of the North American Colonies - 25th Anniversary Edition (25 year laters from this 1992 version) will discuss how to form a good type set of these say of 12-24 pieces which will/should? hold their values for copper enthusiasts looking for something new and already enjoying U.S. Colonials or collecting a State Copper series like NJ's and want to collect CC's on the side which is a commonly seen venture.

To this day only Cobwright (A. Judd) still has a vague idea on what this very small core group of researchers have taken British CC's of the 18thC to this new level. The young and mid-range collectors of the U.K. even today do not pursue these pieces. The Rick Coleman Book on these types ALSO is really just for Yanks. Although 2-3 Brits may say otherwise including Coleman. LOL.

Interestingly the current world record for a British CC - the infamous UNIQUE Banana Nose in Ringo at ~$16,000 or so is the current world record. However - nothing comes close today in rarity, desirability and price. 2008 was a banner year for these ... really.

John Lorenzo
Numismatist
United States

People do appreciate them but since they are by their sophisticated nature really reserved for the top 0.1% of American Collectors who have gone through U.S. Colonials for a couple of years (in general) their supply has overwhelmed the small core group who does still collect these pieces. If you are going to pursue these my recommendation is go for the AU/UNC specimens and the most crude looking pieces you can steal off a dealer. No easy feat ... but opportunities always exist.

JPL

... another item of $9.99 ...

Simains:

http://www.stacksbowers.com/browsea...021&Lot=1093

Up and down lettering ... this severe monkey-type arm, crude portraits & spidery type lettering ... also look for non-regal years. There are various types of Simian Families. The more crude the BIGGER your profit if you can cherry-pick one and put it on US Colonials on ebay.

See Stacks/Bowers 2008 Americana Sale in their Library Auction Catalog link. See the Ringo Collection.

A recent Potato Head went for over $1,000 ...

The few hard core collectors in this field are usually have good pocket books, show no mercy and are obsessive collectors.

JPL

Your latest one is also non-regal. Also, I highly suspect that the coin was cleaned/retoned and that is not original mint red given the grade. At that grade mint red is highly unlikely to be original.

It gets easier to tell the difference between regal and non-regal when you see a high grade regal halfpenny and the specific details present. Here is a regal halfpenny.

In my new book (Due out ~ 11/2016) I make some recommendations are forming a solid type of these issues which is probably the way to go as many collectors obviously do not like losing money ... who does? Some of my recommendations:

1. Learn what Simians are and buy the highest graded Simian (very crude) pieces you can afford. See how deviant these pieces can be by viewing the Stacks/Ringo sale in 2008. Actually Stacks/Bowers was nice enough to give the late Bill Anton the copyright permission to publish this collection in my new book coming out soon.

2. Errors - particularly obverse and reverse brockages.

3. Anton/Kesse Plate coins from the 1992 book. This also will be an Appendix in my new book. Scanning the original plates used for the 1992 book. Only 100 exist - BTW.

4. Non-regal years.

5. As with any coins - any coin AU or Mint State even for the most ubiquitous type (i.e.., George III British 1/2d) is a KEEPER.

Can't go wrong with these five ... IMO. These should hold their own & better than ALL others ... 10-20 years from now.

JPL