Posted 04/08/2025 10:36 am
To be pedantic, it's not a "half cent", it's a "half penny" - or 1/480th of a New Brunswick pound; as the official rate was 4 US dollars to 1 New Brunswick pound, this coin was the equivalent of 1/120th of a dollar, or just under 1 US cent.
It's an important distinction, because New Brunswick issued both halfpenny and half-cent coins. The half cent coins are scarce; the halfpenny coins, not as much.
Trivia: You'll note the terminology on the coin: "HALF PENNY CURRENCY". That word "currency" is notable. The original series of "coins" from new Brunswick in 1834 were labelled as "TOKEN" not "Currency", because the colonial government was uncertain if it actually had legal authority to issue "currency". They called them "tokens" just to be on the safe side. By 1854, formal permission to issue coins had been granted by the Colonial Office in London.
It's an important distinction, because New Brunswick issued both halfpenny and half-cent coins. The half cent coins are scarce; the halfpenny coins, not as much.
Trivia: You'll note the terminology on the coin: "HALF PENNY CURRENCY". That word "currency" is notable. The original series of "coins" from new Brunswick in 1834 were labelled as "TOKEN" not "Currency", because the colonial government was uncertain if it actually had legal authority to issue "currency". They called them "tokens" just to be on the safe side. By 1854, formal permission to issue coins had been granted by the Colonial Office in London.
Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
