Hey everyone! A really good friend of mine got me this wonderful 1795 Middlesex Grasshopper Half Penny Token (or Ha'penny, as they pronounce it in the UK). This one looks really nice and has its original copper brown color! :eat: I just had to share its beauty with all of you! :smile Please enlarge the pics to see its finer details!
That's a really good friend, all right ! "Make new friends, but keep the old... ... one is silver, the other gold."
I like that half penny ! :thumb: Tell ya what... I'll trade ya. A clever saying for the half penny ! somehow, I think I'm gonna get turned down...
Ryan - nice token! You have a general trade token known as a Middlesex Stinton's 904. There are three varieties depending upon what is on the edge. 904 - "ITALIAN FRENCH & PORTUGAL FRUIT WAREHOUSE .+. edge inscription. Considered common, about 25,750 made. Arthur Waters indicates that this is the only token with an edge naming the commodities sold by the issuer. 904a - "PAYABLE IN DUBLIN OR LONDON" edge inscription - this variety is considered scarce, estimated to be < 150 made. 904b - Plain (not in collar). A very rare variety, estimated <25 made. Which one do you have?
R.C. Bell states that: "William Stinton was a tea dealer, grocer, and Italian warehouseman." "The grasshopper was one of the signs used by grocers. Patent Cocas (now spelt cocoa) was not commonly used at the time of the token."
Yeah! So would I, considering you left that part out in the OP. :goof: You need to take your eyes off that Pitt Token and pay attention to what you're doing. Ribbit
Thanks for this! I never knew that these had different varieties :eat: Well, since everyone is dying to know, unfortunately it's the Fruit Warehouse one, common, but 25,750 is still a nice figure in my book!
Very nice token--the detail on the grasshopper is impressive. Obviously, the engraver cared enough to study an actual grasshopper--or work from an illustration.
