1722 1/2P Hibernia - Harp Right

Coin Details

Auction Record

$3,163 MS66 12-04-2003 Bowers & Merena

Description

This 1722 Wood's Hibernia Halfpenny is identified by the "Harp Right" variety designation, referring to the orientation of the harp device on the obverse die. The harp, Ireland's national symbol, appears positioned to the right of the design, distinguishing this die from varieties where the harp faces left or appears in other orientations. The obverse shows the laureate bust of George I facing right with the harp to the right and the royal legend, while the reverse displays the seated figure of Hibernia with her harp and the HIBERNIA legend. The coin was struck in copper at Wood's Bristol works under the 1722 royal patent. The Harp Right variety is one of the more commonly encountered die types for the 1722 halfpenny and provides an accessible example of the series for collectors. William Wood's Hibernia coinage represents one of the most politically charged episodes in eighteenth-century numismatic history. The Irish Parliament had not been consulted about the patent, and the coins' low intrinsic value compared to their face value meant that Wood would profit substantially at Ireland's expense. The ensuing controversy, which produced some of the greatest political satire in the English language through Swift's pseudonymous Drapier persona, ultimately led to the patent's revocation. The coins that had already been produced were then diverted to the American colonies, where they were accepted more readily as practical circulating coppers in a region chronically short of small change.

Rarity Notes

Scarce. The Harp Right variety is one of the more available 1722 Hibernia halfpenny types.

Cross References

PCGS #170; NGC #108085; Breen; Nelson; Wood's Patent; cf. PCGS #164 (Rocks Right), PCGS #155 (DEII error)