© Baldwins of St James Ltd
© Baldwins of St James Ltd
½ Penny Kent - Canterbury / E. Pillow
1795 year| Copper | 9.34 g | 28.5 mm |
| Issuer | United Kingdom (United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies) |
|---|---|
| King | George III (1760-1820) |
| Type | Token |
| Year | 1795 |
| Value | ½ Penny (1⁄480) |
| Currency | Conder tokens (1787-1797) |
| Composition | Copper |
| Weight | 9.34 g |
| Diameter | 28.5 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Technique | Milled |
| Orientation | Coin alignment ↑↓ |
| Demonetized | 1797 |
| Updated | 2024-10-09 |
| Numista | N#430152 |
|---|---|
| Rarity index | 97% |
Reverse
Crowned shield of arms of the City of Canterbury, legend around, date below,
toothed border.
Script: Latin
Lettering:
OUR KING AND COUNTRY LAWS AND TRADE
1795
Engraver: John Dixon
Edge
Plain with incuse lettering.
Lettering: PAYABLE AT CANTERBURY + + + +
Comment
There are two similar strikes with slight die variations as follows:
* DH#9 - similar obverse but with no stop after legend;
* DH#10 - similar reverse but with stops either side of date;
(Conder p.49, 6; Pye p.13, 10; Virt p.66; Atkins p.49, 7)
Interesting fact
One interesting fact about the Token ½ Penny (Kent - Canterbury / E. Pillow) 1795 from United Kingdom is that it was issued during a time of severe coinage shortages in England, particularly in the rural areas. To address this issue, local merchants and traders began issuing their own tokens, like this one, to serve as a substitute for official currency. These tokens were often made of copper or other base metals and featured a variety of designs, including images of local landmarks, animals, and even puns. Despite their humble origins, some of these tokens have become highly sought after by collectors today.
