1723 1/2P Hibernia - Star Before Date Martin 4.107-E.1

Coin Details

Auction Record

$6,600 VF35BN 11-21-2023 Stack's Bowers

Description

This 1723 Wood's Hibernia Halfpenny features a small star or asterisk punched into the die before the date, a distinctive die marker catalogued as Martin 4.107-E.1 in John Martin's comprehensive reference on Wood's coinage. The star before the date is a deliberate addition to the die, serving as a die identification mark or as a decorative element added by the die cutter. The obverse shows the laureate bust of George I with the royal legend, while the reverse displays the seated Hibernia with her harp, the HIBERNIA legend, and the date 1723 preceded by the star device. The Martin numbering system (4.107-E.1) provides a precise cataloguing of this specific die combination, with the numbers identifying the exact obverse and reverse dies used. The 1723 date represents the peak production year for Wood's Hibernia coinage, when large quantities were being struck even as opposition in Ireland was building to a crescendo. By the following year, Jonathan Swift's "Drapier's Letters" would transform public annoyance into organized resistance. The star before the date is a relatively unusual die feature in the Hibernia series and makes this variety immediately identifiable. Such deliberate die markers were sometimes used to track production batches or to distinguish between dies cut by different engravers working simultaneously at the mint. The coin is struck in copper at approximately 28mm diameter.

Rarity Notes

Rare. The Star Before Date variety is an uncommon die type. The specific Martin 4.107-E.1 cataloguing confirms its recognized status among Hibernia specialists.

Cross References

PCGS #920854; NGC #821645; Martin 4.107-E.1; Wood's Patent; cf. PCGS #183 (1723/2 overdate)