 1724 Wood's Hibernia Halfpenny. N.11. No Stop After Date. Silver. Choice Fine. 115.8 gns. A really rather attractive example of this great rarity. The obverse is toned in pale gray with iridescent gold and deep blue around the rim. The reverse is a lovely combination of light gray and gold with an area of deep blue below the exergual line. There is a complete border of denticles visible on both sides with extra metal showing on the obverse at the upper right. Clearly struck from an obverse die that was beginning to fail, the obverse surface of the struck coin appears raised. The piece was clearly carefully preserved throughout its life and may have been a well treasured pocket piece. There are a couple of very light, shallow marks on George's neck and truncation, none really important. Extremely rare: missing from the Norweb, Garrett, and Roper sales. Taxay (C357) thought it was unique. Nelson reported a silver proof N.11 and the specimen in Oxford's Heberden Coin Room makes only the third known in silver. There are no published census figures for this rarity so statements about it are speculative. The cataloguer suspects, however, that there are fewer than 10 surviving in silver and probably fewer than five.
Ex E.H.A. sale (February 2, 1914, lot 23); F.C.C. Boyd Estate. Said ex Philp Nelson by Boyd.
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