1/2 Stiver    (sold for $21.0)

1813, Essequibo & Demerary (British Colony), George III. Copper ½ Stiver Coin. R!

Mint Year: 1813 Reference: KM-9. Mintage: 215,000 pcs. Mint Place: Soho (Birmingham, UK) Denomination: ½ Stiver - Necessity Coinage! Condition: Collector´s marking/graffiti (GM) below bust, otherwise XF! Material: Copper Diameter: 28mm Weight: 9.29gm

Obverse: Laureate and draped bust of George III right. Legend: GEORGIVS III . D:G . REX .

Reverse: British crown above denomination (HALF STIVER) within wreath. Date (1813) below. Legend: COLONIES OF ESSEQUEBO & DEMARARY TOKEN

The Island Assembly ordered 500 pound currency of these pieces in 1803 to act a small change for 'petty dealers and negroes'. Although the size of a British halfpenny, the obverse die used to strike them was a British halfpenny die, they were to circulate in the Bahamas at a penny. The reverse commemorates the victory of Captain Wodes Rogers over pirates in 1717. The issue was rejected on the island. The sterling system was adopted there on 24 December 1838.

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Essequibo (Dutch: Essequebo) was from 1616 to 1814 a Dutch colony in the region of the Essequibo river on the north coast of South America. The colony formed a part of the colonies that are known under the collective name of Dutch Guiana.

Demerara (Dutch: Demerary) was a region in South America in what is now Guyana that was colonised by the Dutch in 1611. The British invaded and captured the area in 1796. It was located about the lower courses of the Demerara River, and its main town was Georgetown. Demerara sugar is so named because originally it came from sugar cane fields in the colony of Demerara.