Summary

1/2 Penny, Issued by, Bank of Upper Canada, Canada, 1854
Minted by Heaton & Sons, Birmingham, England

Obverse Description

St. George on horseback facing right slaying a dragon with a sword; around above, BANK OF UPPER CANADA; in exergue between two roses, 1854; the letters R.K. & Co. on in the right side of the ground line represent the firm Row, Kentish & Co., London through whom the order for the production of the tokens had been placed.

Reverse Description

The seal of Upper Canada, an anchor and sword of justice crossed on a wreath of oak through which passes a tomahawk and arrow, all below a Royal crown and above a pair of cornucopiae transversed, a segment of the Union Jack in the upper right corner; around, BANK TOKEN ONE HALF- PENNY

Edge Description

Plain

Significance

The Bank of Upper Canada, which served many of the functions of a Central Bank to the Colony of Upper Canada, was authorised to coin copper in 1850. They employed the firm Row, Kentish & Co., London to order the production of the pieces at the Royal Mint. The dies and tools for the issue are listed in the Royal Mint catalogue nos. 2836 - 2846. The first issue of penny and halfpenny was struck in 1850 in London but the 1852 issue was partly struck by Heaton & Sons, Birmingham with dies supplied by the Royal Mint; the later isssues of 1854 and 1857 were also the work of Heaton's. Much of the 1857 issue was acquired by the colonial government when their coinage was changed to the decimal system in 1858 and was later melted for bullion.

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