Learn About Rosa Americana Bath Metal Coinage 1722 – 1733
William Wood was the owner of numerous copper and tin mines in Great Britain. He sought and obtained a patent and then permission to strike coinage for use in the British colonies in America and also for use in Ireland. He had hoped to make a profit using the metal in his mines by striking these coins. He first was permitted to strike coins for Ireland in 1722.
He then sought and received permission to strike one hundred tons of coins for the American colonies to be struck over a period of fourteen years. The coins would be struck from what is called Bath Metal – 75% Brass, 20% Zinc and 5% Silver.
Wood struck Halfpenny, Penny and Two Pence coins, the first Two Pence was undated, and the remainder of the coins he struck were dated 1722, 1723 or 1724.
These Rosa Americana coins were simplistic in design. The obverse depicts King George I, facing right, with the Tudor Rose on the reverse. The obverse legend was the King’s name and title while the reverse legend had various forms of “ROSA AMERICANA” and “UTILE DULCI” which translates to “THE USEFUL WITH THE AGREEABLE.”
The next coins Wood struck were 1722 dated Half Pennies, of which there are several varieties.
Those coins were followed by 1722-dated Pennies of which the mintage is fairly high as the coins in lower grade are fairly common.
The same three denominations – Half Penny, Penny, and Two Pence were struck again in 1723 and the Half Penny has two major die varieties while the Penny and Two Pence were each struck with one set of dies.
The year 1724 saw no coins for circulation but Penny and Two Pence coins were struck as patterns during that year. The coinage to be used in the Americas was likely all struck in Bristol. His Irish coinage would have all been struck in London.
Wood’s coinage was plentiful but not well-received and so after striking coinage in 1722 and 1723, the presses stopped in 1724 except for the few specimens of pattern coinage he struck.
The early Rosa Americana coins are the very rare undated prototypes with a large, for the size of the coin planchet, Tudor rose on the reverse. All three of the 1722-dated denominations depict a large Tudor rose on the obverse while the 1723 issues have a crowned rose. The issue is known as the “Rosa Americana” coinage, which is Latin for “American Rose.”
This obverse of these coins depict a laureate portrait of King George I of Great Britain who is facing to the right.
| Date | Type | Mintage | VG Value | AU Value |
| Undated (1722) | Two Pence, Motto in Ribbon | Unknown | $250 | $2,750 |
| Undated (1722) | Two Pence, Motto, No Ribbon | 3 | Rare | Rare |
| 1722 | Half Penny | Unknown | $1,000 | $12,000 |
| 1722 | Half Penny D. G. REX. ROSA AMERI | Unknown | $150 | $1,250 |
| Date | Type | Mintage | VG Value | AU Value |
| 1722 | Half Penny DEI GRATIA REX | Unknown | $175 | $1,300 |
| 1722 | Penny GEORGIVS | Unknown | $3,000 | $22,500 |
| 1722 | Penny VTILE DVLCI | Unknown | $200 | $2,500 |
| 1722 | Penny UTILE DULCI | Unknown | $175 | $1,250 |
| 1722 | Two Pence Period after REX | Unknown | $150 | $1,300 |
| 1722 | Two Pence No Period After REX | Unknown | $200 | $1,900 |
| 1723 | Half Penny, Uncrowned Rose | Unknown | $1,200 | $10,000 |
| 1723 | Half Penny Crowned Rose | Unknown | $150 | $1,250 |
| 1723 | Penny | Unknown | $150 | $900 |
| 1723 | Two Pence | Unknown | $100 | $800 |
| 1724 | Pattern Penny DEI GRATIA | Unknown | $10,000 | $25,000 |
| 1724 | Pattern Penny D. GRATIA | Unknown | $5,000 | $22,000 |
| Undated (1724) | Pattern Penny ROSA; SINE: SPINA | 5 | $12,000 | $26,000 |
| 1724 | Two Pence Pattern | Unknown | $20,000 | $30,000 |
| 1733 | Two Pence Pattern | Unknown | $50,000 | $75,000 |
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