DIX NOONAN WEB TO OFFER GRIFFITHS BRITISH TRADE TOKEN BOOKS OCTOBER 6, 2010

David Griffiths was born in Conway, North Wales, in 1940, moving to London when he was five. Like many expatriates, he became very keen in retaining his links with his mother country, and in addition to representing it at athletics in sprint events, he realised how interesting it was to link local history with collecting.

Initially he collected Welsh 17th century tokens, triggered by the 1973 publication of George Boon's book on the subject. But, finding out how much individual 17th century tokens cost and, encouraged by Monica Bussell (1906- 74) at Seaby's, David decided to start collecting Welsh 18th century tokens, principally Anglesey. He now has the largest collection of these pieces ever assembled.

David has expanded his 17th century token interests to cover Hertfordshire, of which county his collection is now the largest of its kind ever formed, and other counties, in particular Middlesex, Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, Lincolnshire, Rutland, and Shropshire. His collection of 18th century tokens covers all counties, with a particularly large group of Middlesex tokens, and his smaller 19th century collection includes tickets, checks and medals.

A regular at the annual British Token Congress for many years, David single-handedly ran the 1998 event at Hemel Hempstead and was a co-organiser of the Congress when it visited Warwick in 2008.

Having an interest in antiquarian books David extended this to books on tokens, which are the subject of today's sale. He has gradually built up a definitive collection for all token series, as the linking of tokens and books is essential if the enjoyment of a token collection is to be maximised.

This auction is the most important of its kind ever to have taken place. A keen buyer of token books for over 30 years, David has never missed an opportunity to acquire a significant volume, whether it be from an antiquarian or numismatic book dealer, or in the cut and thrust of auction room competition. The provenances of some of the lots in this sale extend back to the libraries of doyens of the subject like Williamson, Davis, Hamer, Dalton, Waters, and others. Here you will find such desiderata as two copies of Thomas Sharp's catalogue of the Chetwynd collection, pioneering catalogues of 18th century tokens by Hammond and Williams, an original R.T. Samuel ‘Bazaar Notes', and much else besides.

Having now reached a level of completion with the books, David has decided to part with them. His token collection will be the subject of further auctions in these rooms over the next two to three years.

For more information, see the DNW web site at: www.dnw.co.uk

Wayne Homren, Editor

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