Watch List notes:

Commonwealth (1649-60), Halfgroats, contemporary forgeries from false dies, struck in silver and base alloy (8), including, a) 0.64g, 12h, small 'squashed' English shield in wreath, rev. conjoined shields, ii between stops above, very fine; another, b) 0.69g, 12h, similar to last, but enlarged crude shield on obv., rev. 'headless' harp, split and creased, fine; another, c) 0.75g, 2h, similar to last and of good style, rev. 'pellet-tipped' harp, crimped flan, fair to fine; also, d) 0.70g, 1h, similar, but shields and devices rendered in thin lines both sides, rev. small ii above, no stops, pierced and trace creasing, otherwise a bold fine; e), 0.50g, 6h, obv. thick cross on shield, rev. similar to last, large ii with stops, pierced, a bold fine; f) 0.88g, 1h, cross-hatching on well-proportioned English shield, rev. crudely rendered conjoined shields, harp's head with long thin neck, small flan split and attempted piercing, otherwise fine; g) 0.98g, 3h, as f, but rev. conjoined shields transposed and retrograde, pierced with a slight crease, fine; lastly, h) 1.10g, 11h, struck in copper alloy, otherwise of reasonable style, broken and repaired, rough surfaces, fair; overall an intriguing group of contemporary forgeries evidently demonstrating the chronic shortage of official small specie entering circulation at the time (8).
provenance
DNW 106, 6 February 2013, lot 556

Estimate: £100 - £150