Lot 2143

Description

Upper Canada, Bank of Upper Canada, halfpenny, 1850, 1852 (2), 1854, 1857 (2, two varities long and short end of rope on reverse), (Ch.PC-5A, 5B1, 5B2, 5C2, 5D [2], Br.720); penny 1850, 1852, 1854, 1857 (PC.6A1, 6B2, 6B5, 6C1, 6D, Br.719). Several with traces of mint bloom, one fine, others good very fine - good extremely fine (11).

In 1850, the Bank of Upper Canada received the right to issue a coinage due to a severe coin shortage. The coinage consisted of half penny and one penny Bank Tokens. The obverse of the coins carried a representation of St.George slaying the dragon based on Benedetto Pistrucci's gold sovereign coinage design. The reverse of the coins carried the then obsolete Coat-of-Arms of Upper Canada. The 1850 issue was struck at the Royal Mint, London, but the coins did not arrive in Canada until 1851. In 1852, the Royal Mint started to strike the second issue, but due to a heavy schedule and time pressure, the coin dies and planchets were transferred to Heaton's Mint. There is a way that the strikings can be distinguished. The Royal Mint issue has the dies in medallic alignment, whereas, the Heaton's Mint issue has the dies in coin alignment. In 1857, Heaton's Mint were asked to strike this final coinage. The reason why this was the final coinage was, because the introduction of a decimal currency into Canada was being contemplated. There are a few scarce pieces in this series and the 1857 issue is known to be quite difficult to find.