1760 Voce Populi Halfpenny. Nelson-12, W-13950. Rarity-3. P in Front of Face. VF-35 BN (NGC).85.1 grains. Lovely antique copper-brown surfaces with appreciable gloss to both sides. Shallow ragged planchet clip at 12 oclock relative to the obverse, the impression on that side well centered while that on the reverse is off center trivially to the top. The upper border on the latter side is through the letters RNI in HIBERNIA, but all design elements on both sides are plainly evident, and most are boldly to sharply defined. Smooth in hand with a pleasing appearance. The significance of the letter P on the obverse of several varieties of the Voce Populi copper is not known, although some have speculated that it stands for either "Princeps" or "Provost." The former refers to the young Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie), the Jacobite pretender to the thrones of England, Scotland, France and Ireland. The latter refers to Hely Hutchinson, provost of Dublin College. Both of these men are possible candidates for the identities of the various busts depicted on these coppers.From the Collection of Larry L. Terrell. Acquired from Chris Victor-McCawley, September 1992.
