1670s NJ 1/4P Saint Patrick, Silver AU50 认证号-2033, PCGS号45

Estimated grade. Ex. Picker (1954) Sold by Bowers & Merena Mar '88 Price Realized $4180

P. Scott Rubin

The Silver St. Patrick Farthing is a rare coin with approximately fifty specimens known. This is one of a group of St. Patrick coinage believed to have originated as currency in Ireland in the 1600’s. The exact date of their coinage is not known. Two sizes of St. Patrick coinage are known -- the smaller sized copper pieces have been called Farthings and the larger copper coins called Halfpenny’s.

The association with American coinage for these coins is an act by West Jersey in 1682 which gave legal tender status to coins called Newby (after Mark Newby, who brought many of these coins with him to America from Ireland) or St. Patrick (because of the image believed to be St. Patrick on the coins) Halfpennies. In 1682, there was both an East and West Jersey which later became New Jersey. This act of 1682 is the reason St. Patrick coinage is collected as part of the coinage of Colonial America.

While many thousands of copper St. Patrick Farthings were coined, only a small number of Silver coins were struck. Some believe they were struck to be used as another denomination while others believe they may have been patterns for display to promote their creator's copper coinage.

A few of the surviving Silver St. Patrick Farthings are in high grades of About Uncirculated or better however most are in Very Fine or lower grades.