Tokens and Jettons

A Mould for a 17th Century Lead Token – The Rose at Stony Lane, Southwark – Gary Oddie

The copper and brass tokens issued between 1648 and 1672 are well known and several of the original dies used to make them have survived. There is also a smaller, parallel series of cast lead tokens that started several decades earlier and finished about the same time with the introduction of a regal copper coinage in 1672. This note presents a copper alloy mould, found recently on the Thames foreshore, which was used to make a lead token for the Rose Tavern on Stony Lane, Southwark. The token is known and a specimen is illustrated.

Cark Cotton Works, 4 Shillings 6 Pence, Manville 101 – A New Variety – K. V. Eckardt

As was the case with many enterprises in Scotland and the North of England Spanish Colonial 8 Real coins were countermarked to create a local currency for payment to employees. The Series has been studied in detail for many years, by Harry Manville, Eric Hodge, David MacFarlan and others, so it is rare and interesting when a new variety is uncovered. A recent discovery has just been the case with Cark Cotton Works.

F.R. Reynolds of Yarmouth: Silver Token and Promissory Note Issuer, 1811 – Gary Oddie

This article presents the life and business of Francis Riddell Reynolds (1772-1846). He was a prosperous businessman, solicitor and brewer in Great Yarmouth, being elected Mayor twice. He was the issuer of two well-known varieties of silver shilling token in 1811, one batch of which was intercepted, and some pieces stolen whilst being delivered from London. Two further shilling token varieties, unrecorded by Dalton, are presented along with a five shillings promissory note, also dated 1811, missing from Outing’s catalogue, is illustrated for the first time thanks to the British Museum.

Reconstructing a Hoard of Joseph Heath 17th C Tokens (Cambridge W/D 52) – Gary Oddie

At some point in the past, a hoard of Joseph Heath’s Cambridge tokens from 1667 must have been discovered and dispersed. This note presents an accumulation of 43 specimens and identifies three different die states. It is suggested that a typical batch of tokens supplied to a seventeenth century tradesman would consist of about 3,000 tokens, which could have been manufactured by a small team of moneyers using a single screw press in half a day.

Revisiting the Case of Joseph Hunton – Silver Token Issuer and Last Man Hanged for Forgery – Gary Oddie

When originally conceived, this note had a very different title and form, but as the story of Joseph Hunton was uncovered in contemporary newspapers, it took a more serious turn and so is being given a separate article. This note presents the life, career and ultimate downfall of Joseph Hunton, a Quaker and very successful businessman. The original act of forgery of a bill of exchange, his attempt to escape, foiled by the weather and the police chase, his capture and high-profile trial and execution were all laid bare in the newspapers of the time. Though he had started with significant wealth, all of his properties and possessions were taken to pay his debts. Just over three years later an Act of Parliament would repeal the death penalty for such counterfeiting.

F.W. Wilkes, Great Colmore St., Birmingham – Gary Oddie

Many modern trade tokens are purely functional in nature and give insufficient details to allow conclusive attribution. Those with just names or initials can be challenging to research and require other corroborating information such as personal knowledge, a documented find or links with other tokens that include more details of the issuer, the use or the series. However, some tokens include more information that allows the issuer and his business to be traced more easily. This note presents one example of such a token.