1722 1/2 P Rosa Americana - D.G. REX

Coin Details

Auction Record

$6,613 MS63 08-15-2011 Stack's Bowers

Description

This 1722 Rosa Americana Halfpenny features the abbreviated legend D.G. REX (Dei Gratia Rex, "By the Grace of God, King") on the obverse, distinguishing it from other 1722 halfpenny varieties that use longer or different legend forms. The obverse shows the laureate bust of George I facing right, while the reverse displays the crowned Tudor rose with ROSA AMERICANA VTILE DVLCI. The Halfpenny was the smallest denomination in the Rosa Americana series and would have been the coin most frequently used in minor everyday transactions had the series achieved wide circulation. Struck in Bath metal, William Wood's proprietary alloy of copper, zinc, and a small percentage of silver, the coin has a distinctive yellowish-golden color that sets it apart from ordinary copper coins of the period. The D.G. REX obverse legend represents a more abbreviated form than the full GEORGIVS DEI GRATIA REX used on some other varieties, and this difference in die preparation helps numismatists trace the sequence of die production during the 1722 inaugural year. The Rosa Americana series was produced at Wood's works in Bristol, England, with the coins then shipped across the Atlantic for distribution in the colonies. This halfpenny variety is one of several distinct die combinations known for the 1722 date, reflecting the active die production during the series' first year.

Rarity Notes

Scarce. The D.G. REX variety is one of the less common 1722 halfpenny die combinations. Well-struck examples with full legends are particularly desirable.

Cross References

PCGS #101; Martin attribution; Breen; cf. PCGS #82 (UTILE DULCI variety), PCGS #85 (DEI GRATIA variety)