Victoria - HalfPenny 1856 - Nova Scotia

Country: Nova Scotia, Canadian Provinces - Queen Victoria (1837-1901)
Type: Token
Year: 1856
Value: 1/2 Penny (1/480)
Currency: Pound (1812-1860)
Composition: Bronze
Weight: 7.9 g
Diameter: 27.7 mm
Mintage: 720,000
Grade: XF/AU
Shape: Round
Orientation: Medal alignment ↑↑
References:  KM# 5 / CCT# NS-5A1 / Breton# 876

Obverse:
Portrait of Queen Victoria, facing left, encircled by legend.

Lettering:
VICTORIA D:G: BRITANNIAR:REG:F:D:
1856

Engraver: Leonard Charles Wyon

Reverse:
A bouquet of Mayflowers (nickname of this coin).

Lettering:
PROVINCE OF NOVA SCOTIA
HALFPENNY TOKEN

Designer: John S. Thompson

Edge:
Smooth

Mint:
Heaton's Mint, Birmingham, United Kingdom

Comments:
Weight: 7.1 - 7.9g
Diameter: 27.7 - 27.8mm

NS-5A1 Bronze, medal alignment
NS-5A1a Bronze, coin alignment
NS-5A2 Brass, medal alignment

Note: 2 obverse varieties, one with and one without the designers initials (L.C.W.) below the queen's bust. It appears that the with L.C.W. was struck only as proofs.
Proofs of the no L.C.W. also exist.
A rare variety of the no L.C.W. was struck from a blundered die where an inverted "A" punch was used to repair a defective "V" in PROVINCE.

This was the first official (government-approved) coin of Nova Scotia. The reverse design, a sprig of mayflower, is now the provincial flower and is considered one of the most beautiful coins made for North America.

These coins were minted by the Heaton's Mint as the Royal Mint of London was overworked.

Riferimento : KM# 5 / CCT# NS-5A1 / Breton# 876

Fonte : https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces9...

Collezione : Canada - Monnaies et Tokens