½ Penny Cheshire - Macclesfield / Charles Roe Copper Works
1789 year| Copper | - | 29.2 mm |
| Issuer | United Kingdom (United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies) |
|---|---|
| Type | Token |
| Year | 1789 |
| Value | ½ Penny (1⁄480) |
| Currency | Conder tokens (1787-1797) |
| Composition | Copper |
| Diameter | 29.2 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Technique | Milled |
| Orientation | Coin alignment ↑↓ |
| Demonetized | Yes |
| Updated | 2024-10-09 |
| Numista | N#147618 |
|---|---|
| Rarity index | 78% |
Reverse
Seated female figure (Genius) facing left, holding shaft of windlass in right hand and cogwheel in left, denomination above, date in exergue.
Note: varieties exist (see below)
Script: Latin
Lettering:
HALFPENNY.
1789
Engraver: John Gregory Hancock
Edge
Incuse legend
Lettering: PAYABLE AT MACCLESFIELD LIVERPOOL OR CONGLETON . X .
Comment
This was issued by Charles Roe who became a partner in several copper mines and the famous Anglesey Mines in Wales were first worked under his direction. Roe & Company owned extensive works for smelting and making copper on land to the east of Macclesfield.
Several varieties exist with changes to the position of the bees on the obverse
and the number of cogs or screw threads on the reverse (DH#11 illustrated):
DH#9, Atkins#7 Obv: ornate cypher Rev: cogwheel with 6 spokes;
DH#10, Atkins#8 Obv: similar to last, Rev: cogwheel with 8 spokes;
DH#11, Atkins#9 Obv: right hand bee comes between the E and L, Rev: similar to last;
DH#12, Atkins#10 Obv: right hand bee comes under I, Rev: similar, eight threads on screw;
DH#13, Atkins#10 Obv: top right hand bee is under F, Rev: similar, nine threads on screw;
DH#14 Obv: as DH#13, Rev: as DH#12;
DH#15, Atkins#11 Obv: as DH#13, Rev: one spoke of cogwheel comes between fingers;
Interesting fact
One interesting fact about the Token ½ Penny (Cheshire - Macclesfield / Charles Roe Copper Works) 1789 from United Kingdom is that it was issued during a time of severe coinage shortages in the late 18th century. The coin was minted by Charles Roe, a prominent industrialist and entrepreneur, who was granted permission by the British government to produce copper tokens to alleviate the shortage of small change in circulation. This coin is a rare example of a privately minted token that was accepted as legal tender during this period, and its unique design features the image of a tree on one side and the value of "1/2 Penny" on the other.
