1787 CT 1/2P Mailed Bust Left - Horned Half Penny

Coin Details

Description

One of the most visually distinctive varieties in the entire Connecticut copper series, this 1787 half penny is cataloged as Miller 8-N.1 and Whitman 2862 and features the famous "horned" bust — where a prominent die crack extends from the mailed bust's forehead, creating the appearance of a horn projecting from the figure's head. This dramatic die crack resulted from metal fatigue in the obverse die, with the fracture propagating outward from the high-relief portrait area where striking pressure concentrated stress in the die steel. The mailed bust faces left on this variety, displaying the chain mail shoulder armor characteristic of the mailed bust portrait type. Connecticut coppers were produced by private contractors operating under the state legislature's October 1785 authorization, and the "horned" die crack likely appeared during the later stages of this particular die's service life, making specimens with a well-developed horn later die states. Struck in copper, the coin weighs approximately 7.5 grams with a 28.5 mm diameter and plain edge. Cataloged as PCGS #364. The rarity notes classify this variety as scarce while emphasizing its popularity among collectors — the horn die crack is immediately recognizable without magnification and gives the bust a memorable, almost whimsical appearance that has made it one of the most illustrated and discussed Connecticut copper varieties. The visual drama of the horn elevates this variety above many technically scarcer die combinations in terms of collector demand and recognition.

Rarity Notes

Scarce. The "horned" die crack variety is distinctive and popular.

Cross References

Miller 8-N.1; Whitman 2862