Rights Holder: Birmingham Museums Trust
CC License:
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Unique ID: WMID-E955F3
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation
A complete struck / hammered copper alloy trader's halfpenny token, of mid 17th Century dating (AD 1665).
The token is circular in shape. The obverse has a shield device in the centre, containing the Mercer's Arms. The obverse inscription reads * IOHN.PHILLIPS. The reverse reads 'HIS HALF PENNY' in the central circle. The reverse inscription is hard to read but is along the lines of '*IN PACRIDGE 1665'.
This identifies the token as a half penny token issued by a John Phillips, a Mercer (silk and textile trader), of Penkridge, Staffordshire in AD 1665 (Williamson, 1891, p1055, no 44). A similar token has been recorded as WMID-A4D5A7. Trader's tokens were issued during the late 17th Century as a response to the absence of the lower coinage denominations.
Diameter: 18.3 mm
Thickness: 1.4 mm
Weight: 0.8 g
Reference:
Williamson, G.C. 1891. Trade Tokens issued in the Seventeenth Century. Paternoster Row. London.
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: POST MEDIEVAL
Period from: POST MEDIEVAL
Period to: POST MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1665
Quantity: 1
Thickness: 1.4 mm
Weight: 0.8 g
Diameter: 18.3 mm
Date(s) of discovery: Monday 1st July 2013 - Wednesday 31st July 2013
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Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Struck or hammered
Completeness: Complete
Class: Other
Group: Other
Type: Other
Denomination: Token halfpenny
Obverse description: Mercer's Arms
Obverse inscription: IOHN PHILLIPES
Reverse description: HIS HALF PENY
Reverse inscription: IN PANCRIDGE 1665
Die axis measurement: 6 o'clock
Degree of wear: Worn: fine
4 Figure: SJ9113
Four figure Latitude: 52.71458164
Four figure longitude: -2.1346643
1:25K map: SJ9113
1:10K map: SJ91SW
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
No references cited so far.