Undated (ca. 1652-1674) St. Patrick Halfpenny. Martin 2-C, W-11540. Rarity-6+. Small Letters. Fine-12 (PCGS). 159.4 grains. A very rare and distinctive variety of St. Patrick halfpenny featuring the "checkerboard floor" obverse per Breen in his <em>Encyclopedia</em> (Breen-201). An elusive piece, Syd recorded just six examples in his 2018 reference. A handful more have appeared in recent auctions but there are likely not much more than a dozen known altogether. This is a choice, problem-free piece with original light-brown surfaces. A large brass splasher covers most of the crown and the top of the harp. No marks at all, just a few tiny planchet voids and a barely noticeable planchet crack beneath King David. Evenly but not heavily worn, the level of detail present is often considered VF for the type. The reverse shows signs of a double, or perhaps triple, strike above and below the shamrock -- a phenomenon seen on several examples of the variety in the exact same place. Obverse plated in the Martin reference to illustrate the obverse 2 die and the reverse appears at the top center on the cover. A desirable piece and one of the more pleasing examples of the Martin 2-C die variety extant. PCGS# 902841. From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Earlier ex American Heritage Minting, April 2002.
