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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;robp, post: 24816365, member: 96746&quot;]Nice coins on show here.</p><p><br /></p><p>I have no concept of how prolific the US mints were in proof production, but from an across the pond perspective, there were few years where the output was more than a handful. Surprisingly for the early issues, proofs are not always exclusive to the first year, with a surprising number struck of the small change denominations, whereas by comparison the silver denomination proofs are mostly seriously rare.</p><p><br /></p><p>For halfpennies and farthings, silver and copper proofs were struck side by side with fewer in the first metal. The commonest Royal Mint produced proofs tend to be first year of issue copper proofs, as this applies to 1672, 1694, 1717, 1729, 1770 1821, 1826 etc (leaving out Soho pieces as they distort the figures being a private company with other interests). e.g. here are a copper (Peck 832) and silver (Peck 834) proof halfpenny for 1729. The first is relatively common, the second less so as a thin flan, and in this instance is a thick flan where the only other known piece is in the BM. For anyone tempted, there&#039;s one coin slabbed as a Peck 834, but it isn&#039;t as it is 20% too light compared to mine and right for a normal thin flan type. Caveat emptor.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1588499[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1588500[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>For non-first year dates, they are invariably very rare and you grab them when you can. e.g. This gem might not look it, but would be a top pop if I did slabbing as it is the better of two known 1718 silver halfpennies. Remarkably, both turned up in the Bousfield sale in 1911 have been acquired from separate sources in 1904 and 1906. The lot description of Bousfield 414 says, &#039;halfpenny, though less worn [than previous lot], has two file cuts on the edge&#039;. Don&#039;t hold your breath.........</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1588501[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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