1788 NJ Running Fox Right Half Penny

Coin Details

Description

Depicting a fox running to the right on the obverse, this 1788 New Jersey copper is one of several "fox" varieties that constitute the most intriguing and collectible subgroup within the final year of New Jersey copper coinage. Cataloged as Maris 70-x and Whitman 4942, this scarce variety belongs to the Post-1776 States Coinage (1776-1788) series. The running fox is positioned in a dynamic stance that differentiates it from the "Fox Before Legend" and "Fox After Legend" varieties, and the purpose of the fox motif on these 1788 coppers has generated considerable scholarly debate — theories range from the fox being a personal emblem of a specific die sinker to a political symbol referencing the perceived cunning or duplicity of certain public figures during the contentious ratification debates of 1788. The fox varieties are part of the broader group of 1788 New Jersey coppers that feature the horse-head obverse type, a departure from the plow obverse used on earlier New Jersey issues. The distinctiveness and charm of the fox design element has made these varieties perennial favorites among colonial copper collectors, who prize them both for their numismatic significance and for the mystery surrounding their origin. The running pose of the fox on this particular variety adds kinetic energy to the design, creating one of the most visually engaging images in all of early American coinage.

Rarity Notes

Scarce. Part of the popular fox variety group.

Cross References

Maris 70-x; Whitman 4942