1760 Voce Populi/Hibernia halfpenny, “VOOE” variety

These coppers were originally issued for Ireland (“Hibernia” is the old Latin name for Ireland.) Like William Wood’s earlier Hibernia coins, these Voce Populi pieces are traditionally associated with colonial America and catalogued with American colonial coins, though they likely saw only limited use in North America. Still, they would probably have been familiar to our Founding Fathers as part of the wide assortment of British coppers that circulated in the colonies at the time.

“VOCE POPULI” means “by the voice of the people”, which seems an apt phrase considering the era, just slightly before the American Revolution.

This particular subtype is referred to as the “VOOE” variety, since the C in “VOCE” looks like a second O.

I’ve wanted a Voce Populi for a while, and was happy to acquire this About Uncirculated example with nice surfaces.


https://www.pcgs.com/cert/49471240

https://coins.nd.edu/colcoin/colcoinintros/Voce.intro.html

 

The ones dug were likely not Voce Populis, I’d imagine.

I dug a 1782 Hibernia halfpenny down here, at the site of the old Hampton Plantation on Saint Simons Island. Found a 1782 French colonial coin about six feet away from it, just a few minutes later. And then a 1779 Spanish colonial Mexico 2-reales piece, and a really nice 1929 Standing Liberty quarter. That was an amazing spot to go detecting.

 

Post your Hibernias, be they Voce Populis or otherwise. Here’s my proof 1805 Irish halfpenny.