Wood's Halfpence
Preserved but no longer current.
The copper coinage for which William Wood, a copper-founder of Wolverhampton, obtained from the Govern- ment the valuable privilege of supplying to Ireland, in 1722. The outcry against this was so great (see DRAPIER'S LETTERS) that the patent was revoked in 1725.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Wood's Halfpence” mean?
The copper coinage for which William Wood, a copper-founder of Wolverhampton, obtained from the Govern- ment the valuable privilege of supplying to Ireland, in 1722. The outcry against this was so great (see DRAPIER'S LETTERS) that the patent was revoked in 1725.
Is “Wood's Halfpence” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.