I have this token but my grade is poor/worn down. I am humbled to show it here but proud to say I have 1. I will post picks of it soon.
Although the Druid tokens were originally designed to be spent in the shops of the Parys and Mona mining companies, they were soon being spent all over Wales and England. It was not difficult to accept about one ounce of the world's finest copper, especially since the tokens featured the popular Druid on their obverses. The intrinsic value and the beauty of the tokens heralded widespread minting and circulation of Conder Tokens which, next to the steam engine, were probably responsible for the astounding success of the First Industrial Revolution. They had replaced regal coinage which had been counterfeited, shaved down and altered through the years. It has been estimated that 75-95% of all small coinage was counterfeit when Conder Tokens were first produced. Their acceptance was inevitable. With folks moving from farms to towns to work in many businesses, it would be impractical to pay them with a chicken or a pig anymore. Conder Tokens made spendable wealth available to the common man.
DH-471 • Richardson's, 1795 Blue Coat Boy & Lottery Wheels Halfpenny, plain edge. Fully patinated. Gem Uncirculated. Here's a description provided by abccoinsandtokens.com, dealer David Stuart in England. He's not the dealer who provided this token to me, though I have been a customer of David Stuart in the past. Rare Richardson's London (Middlesex) copper Conder halfpenny token dated 1795. Obverse: View of a "Bluecoat Boy" (one of the scholars of Christ's Hospital) preparing to draw from an 18th century lottery wheel with a cornucopia of money dividing the date in the exergue and legend: "NOTHING VENTURE NOTHING HAVE 1795". Reverse: Legend on seven lines and round circumference: "RICHARDSON GOODLUCK & CO SOLD NO 12807 THE LAST PRIZE OF £30000 SHARED IN SIXTEENTHS". Listed in Dalton & Hamer as"RARE". Richardson, Goodluck & Co., were stock-brokers and lottery-office keepers with a business at No. 104 Bank Building, Cornhill in the City, and at No. 8 Charing Cross in the West End of London. Goodluck was an old country woman who was made a partner purely for the use of her name. She received a payment of £50.00 per year and had no further interest in the firm.
Impressive Richardson's token Larry. I appreciate the history lesson as well. I think it adds a lot to owning any coin or token when you know the history of it. Bruce
Lovely token Larry. But, as you probably know, the 471 is not Rare at all, but very very common. I had a conversation with Bill McKivor about this very piece, and in the upcoming update to D&H the rarities of the 470 (originally listed as Common) and the 471 (originally listed as Rare) will be likely swapped. Bill said he has never seen a 470, and dozens and dozens of 471's over the past couple decades. Regardless, a magnificent token, and interesting history! Below is my example of the 471 that I purchased from yarm.
wow => very cool (I like the animals in the distance, on the obverse & the reverse) Great token!! (congrats)
Two new lovely tokens from board member yarm. 1793 Halfpenny token, Staffordshire-Leek DH-10 (NGC AU58BN) 1797 Penny token, Angusshire-Dundee DH-5 (NGC AU58BN)