1788 CT 1/2P Draped Bust Left - INDL ET Half Penny

Coin Details

Description

Identified as Miller 16.3-J.1 and Whitman 3210, this 1788 Connecticut copper half penny bears the reverse legend blunder INDL ET — a corruption of INDE ET LIB (Independence and Liberty), where the final E of INDE has been replaced by or merged with an L, and the concluding LIB appears to be missing or truncated. Unlike obverse legend errors that garble the state name or authority claim, this reverse blunder distorts the independence motto itself, a detail that might seem politically significant but more likely reflects simple die-sinker carelessness during the rushed final year of Connecticut's coinage program. The obverse displays a draped bust facing left, consistent with the portrait style used across many 1788 Connecticut die combinations, and the reverse shows the standard seated Liberty figure despite the garbled legend surrounding her. Struck in copper, the coin weighs approximately 6.8 grams with a 28.5 mm diameter and plain edge. Cataloged as PCGS #415. Classified as a scarce reverse legend error, the INDL ET variety is particularly noteworthy because reverse legend blunders are somewhat less common than obverse legend errors in the Connecticut copper series, making this a desirable variety for collectors assembling a comprehensive representation of Connecticut legend blunders. The Miller die combination 16.3-J.1 identifies this as one specific die pairing among the many documented for the 1788 series, linking the draped bust left obverse die 16.3 with reverse die J.1.

Rarity Notes

Scarce reverse legend error.

Cross References

Miller 16.3-J.1; Whitman 3210