1760 Voce Populi/Hibernia halfpenny, “VOOE” variety

[lordmarcovan]

These coppers were originally issued for Ireland (“Hibernia” is the old Latin name for Ireland.) Like William Wood’s earlier Hibernia coins, these Voce Populi pieces are traditionally associated with colonial America and catalogued with American colonial coins, though they likely saw only limited use in North America. Still, they would probably have been familiar to our Founding Fathers as part of the wide assortment of British coppers that circulated in the colonies at the time.

“VOCE POPULI” means “by the voice of the people”, which seems an apt phrase considering the era, just slightly before the American Revolution.

This particular subtype is referred to as the “VOOE” variety, since the C in “VOCE” looks like a second O.

I’ve wanted a Voce Populi for a while, and was happy to acquire this About Uncirculated example with nice surfaces.


https://www.pcgs.com/cert/49471240

https://coins.nd.edu/colcoin/colcoinintros/Voce.intro.html

Edited October 20, 2024 by lordmarcovan
Double-posted pics

[lordmarcovan]

Post your Hibernias, be they Voce Populis or otherwise. Here’s my proof 1805 Irish halfpenny.

Edited October 20, 2024 by lordmarcovan
Fixed the pic

[akeady]

Here are a few - being from Ireland, I have a side-collection of Irish coins.

My Voce Populi is a miserable-looking specimen - I got it at the Belfast Coin Fair in June 2023.

The 2016 commemorative coins, marking the 100th anniversary of the 1916 rebellion featured Hibernia, who stands on top of the GPO, HQ of the rebellion.   There were two gold coins - €100, €50 - a silver €15 coin and a circulating €2.

This is the €50 version (0.25 ounces of gold, mintage 5,500).   I managed to buy one of these, plus the €15 coin; the €100 sold out very quickly.

This is actually a proof (mintage 20,000), but there were a few million of the circulating ones issued and they turn up in change from time to time.

This proof six shillings is my favourite Irish coin.

ATB,
Aidan.

[ominus1]

..i dig all coins with musical instruments...:D