Description
U.S.A., Charles II, London or Elephant Halfpenny, undated, struck in copper, elephant with curved tusks standing left, ground below, rev., arms of the City of London, sword in first quarter, six pointed star below, : LONDON : GOD : PRESERVE:, toothed border to both sides, edge plain (BMC [Peck] 503). Fine and rare.
The obverse die was later used on the Carolina and New England Halfpennies circulating in the USA c.1694 in the reign of William and Mary. This, however, is associated with the Royal Company of Adventurers and the later Royal African Company, that supplied African gold silver and seemingly copper for the purpose of coinage, hence the use of the elephant as a design.
