1785 1/2P Inimica Tryannis - Small Stars Half Penny

Coin Details

Description

Bearing the misspelled obverse legend INIMICA TRYANNIS instead of the intended INIMICA TYRANNIS ("Enemy of Tyrants"), this 1785 Confederatio copper with small stars on the reverse is cataloged as Crosby 4-D and Whitman 5670. The Confederatio coppers represent one of the most fascinating categories in early American numismatics: experimental or proposed federal coins featuring various interchangeable obverse and reverse die combinations that were apparently produced as samples to demonstrate potential national coinage designs. The "Tryannis" misspelling is a die-cutting error that has become a key diagnostic feature, immediately distinguishing this die from the correctly spelled TYRANNIS versions and providing attribution certainty even on worn specimens where other design details may be indistinct. The reverse features small stars surrounding the CONFEDERATIO legend, distinguishing it from large-star variants produced from different reverse dies. The modular approach of mixing and matching obverse and reverse dies across the Confederatio series produced numerous die combinations, each documented in Crosby's foundational 1875 reference work on early American coinage. Very rare as a class, all Confederatio varieties are considered experimental coins produced in extremely limited quantities, and the Crosby 4-D combination with its distinctive misspelling and small-star reverse is among the most sought-after configurations for specialists in proposed national issues of the Confederation period.

Rarity Notes

Very rare. All Confederatio varieties are rare experimental coins.

Cross References

Crosby 4-D; Whitman 5670