1786 1/2P Constellatio Nova Half Penny

Coin Details

Description

Bearing the transposed legend CONSTELLATIO NOVA rather than the NOVA CONSTELLATIO found on the 1783 and 1785 issues, this 1786 copper halfpenny represents the final year of production for one of the earliest privately struck American coin series. Cataloged as Crosby 6-F and Whitman 1738, it retains the core design elements shared across all Nova Constellatio coppers: an eye of providence surrounded by radiating rays and thirteen stars representing the original colonies on the obverse, with the denomination and LIBERTAS JUSTITIA legend on the reverse. The reversed word order in the legend is not a die-cutting error but rather a deliberate design change introduced for the 1786 striking, making it a key diagnostic for attributing this scarce final-year issue. Struck in copper, these halfpennies circulated alongside a patchwork of state-issued coppers, counterfeit British halfpence, and Continental currency in the chaotic monetary landscape of the Confederation period. The 1786 date is considerably scarcer than the more commonly encountered 1783 and 1785 issues, which were struck in larger quantities across multiple die combinations cataloged by Crosby. Collectors pursuing a complete Nova Constellatio copper set regard the 1786 Constellatio Nova as the key date, and its distinctive reversed legend provides immediate visual authentication even on well-worn specimens where finer design details may be lost to circulation.

Rarity Notes

Scarce. The 1786 date is less common than 1783 or 1785. Reversed legend order (Constellatio Nova instead of Nova Constellatio).

Cross References

Crosby 6-F; Whitman 1738