1722 1/2 P Rosa Americana - DEI GRATIA

Coin Details

Auction Record

$4,600 MS63 01-09-2008 Heritage Auctions

Description

This 1722 Rosa Americana Halfpenny bears the full DEI GRATIA legend on the obverse, spelling out "By the Grace of God" more completely than the abbreviated D.G. form used on some companion varieties. The obverse features a laureate bust of George I facing right surrounded by GEORGIVS DEI GRATIA REX, while the reverse shows the crowned Tudor rose with the motto ROSA AMERICANA VTILE DVLCI. This variety is one of the most recognized issues in the 1722 halfpenny series and represents the formal, full-legend style of royal inscription. The coin was struck in Bath metal at William Wood's Bristol works and intended for circulation in the American colonies under the patent granted by George I. At approximately 28mm in diameter, the halfpenny was a practical size for small transactions. The DEI GRATIA spelling indicates a deliberate choice by the die engraver to use the fuller Latin form, which appears on a minority of the 1722 dies. Colonial Americans would have encountered this coin alongside other small-denomination coppers from various sources, including worn British halfpence and local merchant tokens. The Rosa Americana series, despite its official backing, never displaced these established circulating media, and most examples show limited wear from actual commerce. This variety is one of the more frequently encountered 1722 halfpennies, making it a popular type coin for Rosa Americana collections.

Rarity Notes

Scarce but obtainable. Among the more available 1722 Rosa Americana halfpenny varieties. PCGS population shows examples across a range of grades.

Cross References

PCGS #104; NGC #108051; Martin attribution; Breen; cf. PCGS #82 (UTILE DULCI), PCGS #98 (VTILEDVLC), PCGS #101 (D.G. REX)