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17th Century English Tokens

Berkshire

As noted before the earliest pieces even when they were issued by municipalities, often were diminutive in size. This reasonably nice piece from Newbury, Berkshire was issued in 1657. The legend on the obverse reads "Borough of Newbury" With the castle turret, the reverse has "In county of Berks BN 1657" on it. The initials on this and other pieces had significance for tracing the tokens, in this case BN stood for Berkshire, Newbury. In other instances as seen with the other pieces sometimes the initials were a particular individuals.

Bristol

Bristol in the west was one of the earliest municipalities to issue farthing tokens, beginning in 1652. These particularly attractive tokens are also some of the most common available to 21st century collectors. This token has a nice design of the arms of Bristol, noting it's maritime economy.

Bucks

I think one of the most fascinating aspects of these tokens is the ability through some geneaological detective work to trace the individual that issued them. With this piece, issued by Edward Pursell of Thornborough, Buckhinghamshire, I have been able to trace the Pursell/Pursell family in their lineage in and around the Thornborough area for over 400 years. In fact there are currently Pursells/Purcells living in that part of Buckinghamshire. This is an unusually plain piece for me to collect, however the preservation of the piece is remarkable, and having done a bit of detective work on the individual beforehand, I determined that this piece has provenance, and is collectible as such.

Cambridgeshire

I think the most fascinating tokens issued during this era were those issued by merchants and tavern owners etc. Everybody got into the act of issuing tokens, the mercer, the baker, and here of course the candlestick maker, and an image representative of candlestick makers was used on this token issued by Thomas Ewin in Cambridge during 1668. The image of the candlestick maker appears to have been a stock image used by the manufacturer of the tokens for many other token issues as this particular image is rather common for candlestick makers. Thomas Ewin was the son of John Ewin the mayor of Cambridge. Their family house at 69 Bridge Street still exists.

Dorset

One of the most attractive issues from a municipal issuer was that of Dorchester, which portrayed it's arms which encompassed those of the English crown. These tokens were a particular nuisance to the English Crown when the Restoration of Charles II was affected in 1660. However the Tower Mint was not immediately able to offset the tremendous shortage of small denomination coinage, and it was grudgingly tolerated until 1672 when it was finally banned by the Crown, the post Restoration coinage finally taking a hold on the economy.

Gloucestershire

Some of the most fascinating tokens were those issued by innkeepers and tavern keepers, this curious and cute little token was issued ca. 1650 by William Warwick, whom owned the Raven Taverne in Gloucester in Gloucestershire.

Hampshire

Not a completely uncommon piece, this farthing from Andover, Hampshire is unusual in the depiction of a cripple, something not quite so uncommon in 17th century England, but a factor of living during that time that is often overlooked in the modern sense.

Hertfordshire

A neat piece issued by Thomas Searancke, though the name is mispelled on this piece. The Chequers Inn is recorded in documents in Hatfield as early as 1490, and came into possession of the Searancke family during the 17th century. This inn formerly stood at the the angle of High Street and Hertford Road in Hatfield. Notice the curiously placed initials below the denomination on the reverse, almost added as an afterthought by the die-sinker.

Kent

As noted above, not all tokens came in the standard round form that is most familiar, indeed they came in a variety of shapes, this being an octagonal halfpenny issued by Jeremiah Masterson, an innkeeper in Canterbury, Kent. A curious feature of this token is the variant and probable phonetic contemporary spelling of the city name as Canterberry. This piece has a chequerboard pattern on the obverse of the piece, another stock design used for many inns by the token manufacturers.

This is an example of another token issued by a woman, this by Alice Cobham in Rochester, Kent in 1651. This fascinating little farthing has a family crest with the issuers name on the obverse and apparently the issuers personal logo, a horse's head and her initials on the reverse.

Oxford

This attractive municipal token with a rampant lion was issued in Burford, Oxford in 1669.

This fascinating, but rather well used token was issued by Richard Ely "At the 3 Sammons" which was likely an inn in Oxford. Surely the three salmons on the obverse of the piece were used for the sign board of the establishment. Many people in 17th century England were illiterate or marginally literate, and would associate the emblems on these tokens with their issuers signs.

Norfolk

One of the consequences of the devasting English Civil War and the Commonwealth era in England was an accute shortage of smaller denomination coinage. Usually this coinage was minted at the Tower Mint in the denominations of halfpennies and farthings, however the turbulent times resulted in very little if any smaller coinage being issued by the Crown or even claimants. The shortage of coinage affected the less affluent first. There being a lack of coinage resulted in barter returning to everyday transactions. Clearly something had to be done and soon enterprising merchants engaged minters to manufacture small tokens usually in the denomination of a farthing or 1/4 Penny. This particular farthing was issued by Edward Buxton grocer of Norwich England, He resided at St Andrew's and was churchwarden 1659-60, He died in 1665 and was buried in the South side of the church of that parish.

Meanwhile back to Norwich, Norfolk, the earlier smaller farthings disappeared and became unpopular due to their smaller size. Municipalities began issuing larger farthings which were closer in size to the farthings issued later on by the crown. This particular piece has the arms of Norwich and the legend "A Norwich Farthing 1667".

Soon after the first merchant issues, municipalities saw the need to improve the flow of money in trade in their local communities. Great Yarmouth in Norfolk was one such community that issued this particular token with the legend "FOR THE VSE OF THE POOR" in 1667. Municipal or local tokens tended to use the arms of the city or town, and that is the case with this token.

Somerset

William Crapp of Bridgwater, Somerset issued this large sized 1/4d or farthing token in 1670. Little is known about this issuer today, but he was likely related to Richard Crapp, whom also issued a token in Bridgwater in 1659. This particular piece is Somerset W-55 in the Williamson catalogue.

Suffolk

Beccles, in Suffolk, has the distinction of issuing one of the more unusual round farthings, this features a house and a shepherd's pen with sheep. This surely must have been reflective of a prominent occupation at that time. Because of the unique design, this piece is my favourite 17th century token. In later times Beccles was known for being a fishing centre, and now light industry have taken over.

Marie Cressener was the widow of Thomas Cressener, the apothecary in Bury St. Edmunds in Suffolk. He died in 1662, and she continued the business, and perhaps was connected to the Catholic Short family in Bury St. Edmunds, the Short family were a medical dynasty in the town. The inference is that this token issued by Marie Cressener, that perhaps since she worked with the Short family that perhaps she was Catholic also, but this now is conjecture and is not known definitevely. This piece is Suffolk 50 in the Williamson catalogue.

Surrey

Life in the 17th century was remarkably and undeniably different from our 21st century lives. For one thing, there were long running religious struggles betwixt the Catholics and the Protestants, and incredibly even different Protestant faiths were killing each other in Britain during this time. Mix in politics in the realm of the national level, and you can surely appreciate that life in the 17th century was not by any stretch of the imagination fun. This can be said particularly so of the lives of 17th century women. They were basically third class citizens no matter where they were. Even women such as Princesses, or Queens consort had very little liberty. However, remarkably, women also had their own enterprises and issued tokens, and this rather well used specimen from Rederiff Parish, Rotherithe, Surrey is an example that was issued by Mary Knot. I can surmise from the Knot on the reverse, emblematic of her name, was probably also reference to her trade, perhaps a milliner, or a seamstress. The legend on the obverse of said piece reads "Mary Knot in 1668 Her Halfpeny" Whilst the reverse has Rederiff Parish, and her emblematic knot. I would love to find out more information on Mary Knot, however, I think for the exception of this token which memorises her now, she is perhaps lost to history. Tokens issued by women are not common, but also not exceedingly so scarce as to be unobtainable.

Some of my favourite tokens are those issued by ladies, this one was issued by Judith Davis in Love Lane, Redriff, Rotherhithe, Surrey. Now this is a part of the city of London, but in 1666 when this token was issued, it was a small village well outside of London. The mask with the thunderbolts suggests that this particular token was issued by the owner of a theatrical venue.

I particularly like 17th century tokens that depict individuals and their trades, this one from Thomas Wilmot from "Neere Guildford" in Surrey depicts a 17th century postal carrier and his staff and mailbag, curiously even the postal carrier in Surrey saw need to issue tokens.

A particularly attractive municipal farthing from Guildford in Surrey, this piece was issued in 1668 features a castle and lion, and the town's arms on the reverse.

Sussex

This attractive piece features a very early rendition of St. George slaying the dragon, and was issued by Joseph Russell from Arundel, West Sussex.

Wiltshire

Some of the themes and occupations of 17th century tokens are curiously emblematic and very descriptive of the times then. This fascinating little token dated 1659 is from Sarum, now Salisbury in Wiltshire. Of estimated 20.000 token issuers in 17th century, this is the only known token issued by an individual with a then not uncommon profession, that being a rat killer, the 17th century equivalent of an exterminator. Like many other tokens, George Godfrey's little piece here has an emblem of his profession - that being of a rat! But this is the only piece known with an image of a rat, and the only piece known that was issued by someone in the profession of being a rat killer. The extermination of vermin was very important, as it involved health and well being. Indeed, when London burned in 1666 the resultant deaths of hundreds of thousands of rats saw the demise of the annual plague outbreaks.

Ireland

Inasmuch as there was a coin shortage in England, Ireland actually had it worse, despite having much less trade than in England. This token was issued by a butcher in Dublin, Mic Wilson, for a halfpenny in 1672, nearly one of the last tokens issued in the British Isles before the prohibition of their being issued. While many tokens never left their origin, others travelled long distances in the course of commerce, this one was found by a metal detectorist in Shropshire in 2007. Some 17th century tokens have been found in some of the early archealogical digs even in North America, suggesting that they were used as a medium of exchange long after they were prohibited for commerce in Britain.