Rights Holder: Oxfordshire County Council
CC License:
Our images can be used under a CC BY attribution licence (unless stated otherwise).
Unique ID: OXON-C3A60B
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation
A worn cast lead alloy token or tally of post-medieval date. The token bears the faint remains of a raised design of a grid pattern on one side and an abstract pattern on the other. Lead tokens had a wide variety of potential uses such as use as tallies, gaming pieces, weights, etc. and are believed to have been locally produced; they are therefore difficult to date precisely. Those carrying initials are generally deemed to be Post Medieval in date (c. AD 1500 - 1850), although this example is likely to be 17th century in date.
It has been suggested that grid designs may represent ploughing lines. The pattern on the reverse, at first glance seemingly abstract, appears to be a representation of a plough, with stars above, presumably a reference to the constellation Ursa Major. If this is the case, then this would be the first example of such - grids are not uncommon on lead tokens but depictions of machinery are very uncommon (windmill sails are known). A grid paired with a plough strongly supports the theory that grids represent plough lines in the fields, as well as indicating an agricultural transaction use for such tokens rather than i.e. game pieces. Lead tokens may well have been used in a similar way to more modern hop tokens, where workers were 'paid' in tokens which could be redeemed locally for services or food.
Comparisons are being sought and more research is underway.
This is a find of note and has been designated: Include in PostMedArch
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: POST MEDIEVAL
Period from: POST MEDIEVAL
Period to: POST MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1600
Date to: Circa AD 1800
Quantity: 1
Thickness: 1.4 mm
Weight: 1.8 g
Diameter: 16.4 mm
This information is restricted for your access level.
Other reference: OXPAS2018.502
Primary material: Lead Alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Complete
No numismatic data has been recorded for this coin yet.
4 Figure: SP4840
Four figure Latitude: 52.05631184
Four figure longitude: -1.30135692
1:25K map: SP4840
1:10K map: SP44SE
Grid reference source: From a paper map
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 10 metre square.
No references cited so far.