Token Corresponding Society - Silver Tokens 1811-12

Silver Tokens 1811-1812 This short-lived series of tokens were struck by tradespeople across England and Wales in response to a severe shortage of silver coin. Whilst the industrial revolution was raging virtually no silver or copper coinage had been issued since the reign of George II. By the 1770's foreign coin and counterfeits were circulating freely to fill the shortfall. Copper tokens appeared in huge numbers in the 1780's. In 1797 the cartwheel copper coinage was issued officially. Apart from a small issue of silver in 1787 and countermarked Spanish dollars (1797-1804), the circulating silver coins were in a sorry state by 1800. Silversmiths and bankers in Dublin were the first to strike silver tokens in 1804. In 1811, England and Wales followed suit. These tokens are typically of fine silver, but are light weight according to the standards of the time; 5 shillings and 2 pence coins per ounce of fine silver. But it was these standards that had prevented the mint from issuing coins, as they could not afford the silver at market prices and then issue coins only for them to be melted immediately by the unscrupulous. There are about 300 different issues upto the end of 1812 and a solitary issue from Wales in 1813, by which the problems of an unregulated token coinage had appeared, with counterfeiting, reduced silver quality, reduced weight and some issuers refusing to redeem their tokens. The tokens were finally made illegal on 19th December 1813. Most of the tokens are shillings and sixpences, with just a few at higher denominations. Illustrations:
1.	Dublin token issued in 1804. The issuer of these pieces is not yet known, but the weight and silver are good, so the legend "Pro Bono Publico" is quite appropriate.

2.	Shilling token issued by Henry Hunt of Rowfant House in Sussex. A wealthy sheep farmer at the beginning of 1811 with a 1000 acre estate, ending disastrously after foot rot decimated the flock.

3.	Token issued in Bath in 1812. Charles Culverhouse was a baker, Isaac Orchard was an auctioneer and upholsterer and James Phipps a ladies shoemaker, all within a few doors of each other.

4.	Shilling token issued by Richard Griffiths at the Corner Shop in Welshpool in 1813. The Grocers' shop was a famous landmark for nearly two centuries.

5.	Counterfeit shilling token copying the Cattle and Barber (silversmiths) issue of 1811, but in silvered brass. (The Georgian shop-front of Cattle & Barber can still be seen in York Museum.)
Useful References and Links K. Clancy. The recoinage and exchange of 1816-17. PhD Thesis, Leeds University, 1999. R. Dalton. The Silver Token Coinage 1811-1812. First edition, 1922, Reprinted by Seaby in 1968. The circulation of silver 1697-1817. Token Corresponding Society Bulletin, v7 #1, pp5-36, December 2001. J. O'Donald Mays. Tokens of those trying times. New Forest Leaves, 1991. Includes a facsimile reprint of Dalton and a supplement. Gary

Silver Tokens 1811-1812