The common coinage, copper halfpennies, was subject to severe
counterfeiting. No copper coinage had been issued by the
Royal Mint since 1754 apart from inadequate issues of halfpence and farthings from 1770 to 1775. In order to differentiate his proposed copper coins from counterfeits Boulton specified them as follows: These coins were comparatively large, having a broad raised rim with the inscription pressed below the surface and became known as the
cartwheel pennies. Over 45 million were struck in two years. The new copper coins were issued at the Soho Mint and by
Charlotte Matthews in London who was the banker and business advisor to Watt and Boulton. ==See also==