1787 NJ 1/2P Hidden White Metal in Sprig Half Penny

Coin Details

Description

Concealing the initials "WM" — for Walter Mould, the authorized coiner — within the sprig design above the plow, this 1787 New Jersey copper carries a hidden personal mark that requires careful examination to detect. Cataloged as Maris 47-f and Whitman 4875, the Hidden White Metal in Sprig variety demonstrates the personal mark of the authorized coiner embedded directly into the coin's design, where the letters "WM" are worked into the botanical elements of the sprig motif so skillfully that they can be mistaken for leaves or stems on casual inspection. Walter Mould was one of the three authorized coiners — along with Thomas Goadsby and Albion Cox — who received the New Jersey state contract to produce copper halfpence, and his practice of incorporating his initials into the dies provides direct evidence linking specific die productions to his personal oversight. This scarce variety belongs to the Post-1776 States Coinage (1776-1788) series and is a collector favorite precisely because it adds an element of discovery — locating the hidden initials within the sprig design is a satisfying exercise in numismatic detection. The obverse shows the standard horse and plow design with "NOVA CAESAREA" and the date, while the reverse carries the state shield. The tradition of die sinkers hiding personal marks within coin designs extends across many cultures and periods, but the Mould initials on New Jersey coppers are among the best-documented examples in American colonial numismatics.

Rarity Notes

Scarce. The hidden initials make this a collector favorite.

Cross References

Maris 47-f; Whitman 4875