1783 C Nova 1/2P Pointed Rays - Small US Half Penny

Coin Details

Description

Cataloged as Crosby 2-B and Whitman 1705, this 1783 Nova Constellatio copper halfpenny with pointed rays and "Small US" lettering represents the most available variety in the Nova Constellatio copper series — an accessibility that makes it a natural starting point for collectors entering this important early American coinage category. The "Small US" designation refers to the size of the UNITED STATES letters on the reverse, a primary classification criterion that distinguishes this die from the "Large US" variants where the reverse lettering is more prominent. The obverse features the constellation design: an all-seeing eye of providence surrounded by radiating pointed rays and thirteen stars, imagery that embodies the Enlightenment symbolism favored by the Confederation-era designers who conceived America's earliest proposed national coinage. Pointed rays distinguish this obverse type from the blunt rays variant, with the ray terminals coming to sharp points rather than rounded or squared-off ends. These coppers circulated alongside state-issued coins, counterfeit British halfpence, and cut Spanish silver in the heterogeneous monetary environment that preceded the establishment of the United States Mint in 1792. Common for the series but far from common in absolute terms, the Crosby 2-B die combination is the variety most frequently encountered by general colonial coin collectors, though well-preserved examples with strong eye appeal still command meaningful premiums over typical circulated specimens with the extensive wear common to eighteenth-century copper coins.

Rarity Notes

Common for the series. The most available Nova Constellatio copper variety.

Cross References

Crosby 2-B; Whitman 1705