Images(2)

St. Patrick copper (large planchet)

Date1674-1675

OriginIreland

MediumCopper & brass

DimensionsDiameter: 29 mm

Credit LineGift of the Lasser Family

Object number2004-8,13

Label TextMuch like her sister colonies, New Jersey suffered from a lack of small change. When Dubliner Mark Newby arrived in 1681 with a large quantity of Irish coppers, the General Assembly of the colony responded by declaring them legal tender. Of uncertain origin and date, the coppers exist in two sizes: the larger is often referred to as a halfpenny, and the smaller as a farthing.

Called St. Patrick's coppers because of the saints' appearance on the coins, they feature a distinctive brass-colored area near the crown formed by a splash of molten brass applied before striking. In addition to being an anti-counterfeiting measure, the brass gave the crown a golden color. Silver patterns, now very scarce, are also known.

Breen-204, Vlack-4E

ProvenanceWhyte Millennial Collection (4-29-00, lot 266)

Exhibition(s)