I have had this brass token since the 1960's when I found it in a coin dealer's "junk box". Several years ago I looked it up and found out what it was and who made it. Great Britain Gaming Token, imitation of George III Spade Guinea, Rex Tenby 1790 Obverse: George III facing right / GEORGIVS III DEI GRATIA Reverse: Spade Guinea design / JR.ET.JW.REX.F.D.TENBY.ST.C.M.S.P.ET.C / 1790 Brass, 25mm, 3.17gm The inscription "JR.ET. ..." is: "Joseph Rollason and John Wood, Rex, Fidei Defensor, Tenby Street (Birmingham), Chain Makers, Stampers, Piercers, Etc." The inscription makes this an advertising token also. I now have a real gold Spade Guinea to go along with my brass token: Great Britain Gold Guinea 1794 - "Spade Guinea" Obverse: George III facing left GEORGIVS III DEI GRATIA Reverse: Crowned arms of Great Britain, Ireland, France, and Hannover M.B.F.ET.H.REX.F.D.B.ET.L.D.S.R.I.A.T.ET.E 1794 Gold, 25.0mm x 24.5mm, 8.37gm The shield with the arms has a resemblance to a shovel or spade, hence the name. The inscription "M.B.F ..." is: MAGNAE BRITANNIAE FRANCIAE ET HIBERNIAE REX FIDEI DEFENSOR King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith BRVNSWICENSIS ET LVNEBVRGENSIS DVX Duke of Brunswick and Lueneburg SACRI ROMANI IMPERII ARCHI THESAVRARIVS ET PRINCEPS ELECTOR Holy Roman Empire, Arch-Treasurer and Prince-Elector Guineas are interesting coins, some made it across the water and circulated in early America.
I have seen dozens of these over the years and never thought about the inscription. There are several fairly common types around including examples marked 'In memory of the good old days' and 'To Hanover' the latter a satirical political jibe of the day and now the meaning is forgotten to all but historians and the occasional coin collector. http://24carat.co.uk/frame.php?url=1837medallioncumberlandjack.html more generally http://www.tokensociety.org.uk/topics/imitation-g.shtml
