1857 Bank Of Upper Canada Half Penny

Doctor Courteau separates this series into two major groupings according
to whether the obverse Rosettes have a Dot in the centre. Group one shews
no Dot, group two shews a Dot. The token in the photo shews no Dot.

Dr. Courteau further separates the reverses according to the size, number, and
direction of the terminal Anchor Rope Dots (to the left of the lower section of
the Battle Axe Handle. These either have one Dot, one Dot and a small line, a
downward pointing Dash, two small Dots, two Dots (the last being smaller), two
medium Dots, two large Dots, three downward pointing Dots, three horizontal Dots,
and two and a half Dots.

Your token exhibits three horizontal Dots. This narrows the search to Courteau
varieties 187, 188, or 189. Of these, varieties 187 and 188 shew no left foot to
St George. Variety 189 shews a foot. Variety 189 can be eliminated as the photo
shews no left foot.

The nest diagnostic concerns the short line running below and parallel to the Arm-pit
(betwixt the right forearm and the man's back. Variety 188 shews a short forked line,
variety 187 shews no line. Your token is Courteau variety 188, having a rariety factor
of 8 (on a scale of 1-10) with one being common.

Grade AU 50.

Although the rarity factor is significant, what is even of a higher rariety are collectors
assembling this series by Courteau variety.

doug

Here's another, obviously not quite so nice as the first, but it was a "throw-in" as part of a larger deal, so the price was certainly right.

Definitely a different variety than the other, and there is additionally a prominent die crack running through the top of the two P's into the E.

In my experience, I've found an acetone soak useful for dissolving surface contaminants, but not effective in combating corrosion/deposits like this. Olive oil was used here, but as can be the case, underneath this sort of cancer the surfaces may not be brown, as can been seen in this instance. So in conserving this, I've halted the treatment for the time being (without regrets for having made the effort, as leaving it as it was really wasn't an option). I may yet carefully work on the areas around the bottom of this side of the coin with an ammonia solution.



As for determining the variety, the obverse rosettes do seem to have dots in their centers, and I'm providing a closeup shot of the anchor rope.



Also, here's a better look at the die crack I previously mentioned.