½ Penny - George II old bust (1740–1754)
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Year | 1740–1754 |
| Denomination | ½ Penny |
| Mint | Royal Mint · Llantrisant |
| Circulation | Circulating |
| Demonetised | 1817 |
| Composition | Copper |
| Weight | 9.860g |
| Diameter | 28.0mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Orientation | Coin alignment ↑↓ |
| Grade scale | UK (EF/UNC) |
Older laureate and cuirassed portrait of King George II facing left, legend around.
GEORGIVS II REX
Seated figure of Britannia facing left, trident in left hand, olive branch in right, shield with Union flag resting on left, legend around, date in exergue.
BRITANNIA
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AffiliateAbout the 1740 Halfpenny - George II old bust
The 1740 Halfpenny - George II old bust is a circulating ½ penny coin issued from 1740 to 1754, struck in copper. It weighs 9.86g and measures 28mm across. Reverse design: Seated figure of Britannia facing left, trident in left hand, olive branch in right, shield with Union flag resting on left, legend around, date in exergue.
It is no longer legal tender (withdrawn 1817), so its value is to collectors only.
Common questions
How much is the 1740 Halfpenny - George II old bust worth?
No verified sale of the 1740 Halfpenny - George II old bust has been logged on MyCoinage yet.
Why is there no 1741 halfpenny?
None was struck with that date. Wikipedia records halfpennies in every year from 1729 to 1754 except 1741, and both Clayton's list and Coin Hunter's year pages go straight from the 1740 old bust coin to 1742.
How many old bust halfpennies were minted?
No mintage figures are published for any date from 1740 to 1754. Clayton describes George II's halfpennies as very common, but gives no numbers, and neither do Wikipedia or Coin Hunter.
Why were no halfpennies struck after 1754?
Clayton notes that none were struck from 1755 until 1770 and that most halfpence in circulation in that period seem to have been forgeries. Wikipedia describes counterfeits outnumbering genuine coins for long periods in the reign.
Is a 1750 halfpenny legal tender?
No. A royal proclamation of 5 December 1817, printed in the London Gazette, declared that no Mint halfpennies or farthings issued before 26 July 1797 should pass in any payment. Holders were to bring them to the Mint by 31 December 1817.
How do I identify the 1740 Halfpenny - George II old bust?
Check the weight 9.86g and diameter 28mm and the metal (copper) against the specification table on this page. The reverse design is described above.
History and design
From 1740 the halfpenny carried a more elderly portrait of George II, which Tony Clayton dates to that year. Wikipedia's history of the penny places the change to an older bust on the regal coins generally in 1740 to 1743. Halfpennies of this type are dated 1740 and every year from 1742 to 1754; Wikipedia notes that no halfpennies were made in 1741.
Clayton describes George II's halfpence as very common today. After 1754 none were struck until 1770, and he writes that the majority of halfpence in circulation in the meantime seem to have been forgeries. Wikipedia adds that genuine coins were melted down and recast into underweight fakes. No mintage figures are published for any date.
The obverse shows the King's older laureate bust facing left with GEORGIVS II REX, and the reverse the seated figure of Britannia with BRITANNIA above and the date in the exergue, the legends Wikipedia gives for all of George II's halfpennies. There is no mark of value, the halfpenny being known by its size of 28 to 30 mm.
Wikipedia records that John Sigismund Tanner, who had been appointed assistant engraver in 1729, became Chief Engraver on Croker's death in 1741 and engraved most of the dies for George II's coins after 1739.
Varieties and errors
Clayton and Coin Hunter both list a 1742 halfpenny with the 2 struck over a 0. No other varieties of the old bust type are listed in either.
Collecting notes
With forgeries so common, compare the portrait, lettering and weight with a known genuine coin; Wikipedia gives a weight of 9.7 to 10.3 g for the real thing. Read the last digit on any 1742 for the overdate. The earlier young bust halfpenny covers 1729 to 1739. These halfpennies ceased to be current under a proclamation of 5 December 1817, which called in all Mint copper issued before 26 July 1797.
Sources
The history, design, varieties and collecting notes on this page are drawn from these sources. Prices come from recorded sales, not from them.
- History of the halfpenny, Wikipedia (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Halfpennies, Tony Clayton, Coins of the UK (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Values of Halfpennies, Tony Clayton, Coins of the UK (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Coin values by year, 1740 to 1754 (year pages read one by one), Coin Hunter (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Pennies, Tony Clayton, Coins of the UK (read 12 Oct 2026)
- John Sigismund Tanner, Wikipedia (read 12 Oct 2026)
- History of the British penny (1714 to 1901), Wikipedia (read 12 Oct 2026)
- Proclamation on copper coin, 5 December 1817, The London Gazette (read 12 Oct 2026)
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