1723 1/2P Rosa Americana - Uncrowned

Coin Details

Auction Record

$18,000 MS62 11-18-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

This 1723 Rosa Americana Halfpenny features an uncrowned rose on the reverse, a significant departure from the standard crowned rose design used throughout most of the series. The absence of the crown above the Tudor rose creates a distinctly different appearance and represents either an intentional design variant or a die prepared from an incomplete model. The obverse retains the standard laureate bust of George I facing right with the royal legend, while the reverse shows the bare Tudor rose without its customary royal crown, still surrounded by ROSA AMERICANA VTILE DVLCI. The uncrowned reverse is one of the most notable design variants in the entire Rosa Americana series and has generated scholarly discussion about whether it represents a deliberate alternative design, a pattern piece, or simply a production variant from Wood's Bristol mint. Struck in Bath metal at approximately 28mm, the coin is otherwise similar in size and weight to other Rosa Americana halfpennies. The 1723 date places this coin in the second year of production, when the series was at the peak of its output before colonial opposition led to its discontinuation. The Uncrowned variety is rarer than its Crowned counterpart, indicating it was produced in smaller numbers or from fewer die pairs, lending support to the theory that it may represent a special or experimental striking rather than a standard production variant.

Rarity Notes

Rare. Significantly scarcer than the Crowned variety. The unusual uncrowned reverse makes this one of the more sought-after varieties in the Rosa Americana series.

Cross References

PCGS #122; Martin attribution; Breen; cf. PCGS #119 (Crowned variety)