18TH CENTURY BRITISH TOKEN REFERENCES

The provincial tokens issued in the late 18th Century in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland form a complex series, essentially composed of a variety of types (as circulating coinage, store cards, political and social commentary, private tokens, and those made for collectors) and for a variety of purposes. There are genuine issues, counterfeits, medley tokens (mules and edge varieties), specious fabrications, restrikes, off metal trials and presentation pieces, odd concoctions, as well as surviving artist's proofs and die trials. As a result, they may be organised, arranged, catalogued or collected in any one of a number of ways.

The tokens in this auction have been arranged alphabetically by issuer. This was a choice made early on in the cataloguing process and was done to place a greater emphasis on the individuals responsible, instead of their assigned geographic location. This arrangement provides for a different sense of the quantity and variety of tokens issued by a specific individual, or individuals, or a company as the case may be, as well as facilitating the tracing of die links and states. Clearly there may be some concerns and for this, we can only hope that you will take the time to explore a path less travelled.

Citations are listed, where available, for Conder Pye, The Virtuoso's Companion and Atkins, as well as Dalton & Hamer. There is reason for this. While Dalton & Hamer seemed to have had access to part of Cokayne's collection prior to their publications, there is evidence that that may not have been the case with others. Nor were their efforts universally accepted. As late as 1936, Glendining's Sale of Frederick Lincoln's Collection was listed only according to Atkins and not Dalton & Hamer's Provincial Token Coinage, although the latter had been completed and in print for nearly two decades. I was fortunate to have had access to Baldwin's extensive library that included not only annotated reference volumes and auction catalogues, but also Cokayne's personal notes that were invaluable in bridging the gap between James Atkins' Tradesmen's Tokens and Dalton & Hamer, as well as confirming provenance and dates of acquisition.

Atkins, James. The Tradesmen's Tokens of the Eighteenth Century, London 1892

Bell, Robert C.

• Commercial Coins. 1787-1804, Newcastle upon Tyne, 1963
• Tradesmen's Tickets and Private Tokens 1785-1819, Newcastle upon Tyne, 1966
• Specious Tokens and Those Struck for General Circulation, Newcastle upon Tyne, 1968
• The Building Medalets of Kempson and Skidmore 1796-1797, Newcastle upon Tyne, 1978
• Political and Commemorative Pieces Simulating Tradesmen's Tokens 1770-1802, Felixstowe, 1987

Conder, James. An Arrangement of Provincial Coins, Tokens and Medalets, London 1798

Dalton, R. and Hamer, S. The Provincial Token-Coinage of the 18th Century, 1910-1918, reprinted by Allan Davisson with additions and notes 2004

Denton, M., and Prattent, T. The Virtuoso's Companion, London 1795-1798

Dykes, David. Coinage and Currency in Eighteenth Century Britain, London 2011

Longman, W. Tokens of the Eighteenth Century Connected With Booksellers & Bookmakers, London 1916

Lusk, Jon. British and Irish Tradesmen and their Copper Tokens of 1787 - 1804, Ypsilanti, Michigan, USA, 2014

Pye, Charles. Provincial Copper Coins, Birmingham, 1801

Samuel, Richard T. ‘Provincial Copper Coins and Tokens', The Bazaar, Exchange and Mart and Journal of the Household, 1880-1889

Sharp, Thomas ‘A Catalogue of Provincial Copper Coins, Tokens, Tickets, and Medalets' in the collection of Sir George Chetwynd, London, 1834

Spence, Thomas. The Coin Collector's Companion, London, 1795

To read the complete catalog, see:
www.baldwin.co.uk/auction-92/

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