CORN-8058A6: spade half-guinea counter (obverse)

Rights Holder: Royal Institution of Cornwall
CC License:


Rights Holder: Royal Institution of Cornwall
CC License:

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JETTON

Unique ID: CORN-8058A6

Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow status: Awaiting validation Find awaiting validation

Copper alloy counter of a spade half-guinea of George III, but produced many years after the half-guinea became obsolete, even though it is dated to 1788 on the reverse, this is an arbitrary date. There was a revival later in the 19th century, during Victoria's reign, because the counters could not be confused with the coins that were legal tender at the time. The imitation is quite crude and the counter is worn and corroded so that it is difficult to read the reverse legend, but it appears to be the common legend: IN MEMORY OF THE GOOD OLD DAYS, rather than the name and address of a manufacturer.

Besly (1997) illustrates a similar example on page 44, Fig.120, which is also dated 1788 on the reverse, under the spade shield, but was made in the period from 1860 to 1910.

Subsequent actions

Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder

Chronology

Broad period: POST MEDIEVAL
Subperiod from: Late
Period from: POST MEDIEVAL
Subperiod to: Early
Period to: MODERN
Date from: Circa AD 1860
Date to: Circa AD 1910

Dimensions and weight

Quantity: 1
Thickness: 1 mm
Weight: 1.69 g
Diameter: 21 mm

Discovery dates

Date(s) of discovery: Saturday 15th February 2014

Personal details

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Materials and construction

Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Struck or hammered
Completeness: Complete

Jetton / token data

Class: English
Group: Contemporary copies
Denomination: Jetton
Obverse description: laureate head facing right
Obverse inscription: GEORGIVS III DEI GRATIA
Reverse description: crown over spade shield
Reverse inscription: IN MEMORY OF THE GOOD OLD DAYS / 1788
Die axis measurement: 12 o'clock
Degree of wear: Very worn: fair

Spatial metadata

Region: South West (European Region)
County or Unitary authority: Devon (County)
District: West Devon (District)
Parish or ward: Mary Tavy (Civil Parish)

Spatial coordinates

4 Figure: SX5078
Four figure Latitude: 50.58241981
Four figure longitude: -4.12010802
1:25K map: SX5078
1:10K map: SX58NW
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.

Discovery metadata

Method of discovery: Metal detector
General landuse: Grassland, Heathland
Specific landuse: Disturbed

References cited

Author Publication Year Title Publication Place Publisher Pages Reference
Besly, E. 1997 Loose Change: A guide to common coins and medals Cardiff National Museums Wales Books 44, Fig.120

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Timeline of associated dates

Audit data

Recording Institution: CORN
Created: 9 years ago
Updated: 9 years ago

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