© GT Foreman (CC BY-NC)
© GT Foreman (CC BY-NC)
½ Penny Lothian - Edinburgh / Harrison's
1796 year| Copper | - | 29 mm |
| Issuer | United Kingdom (United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies) |
|---|---|
| King | George III (1760-1820) |
| Type | Token |
| Year | 1796 |
| Value | ½ Penny (1⁄480) |
| Currency | Conder tokens (1787-1797) |
| Composition | Copper |
| Diameter | 29 mm |
| Thickness | 2 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Technique | Milled |
| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
| Demonetized | Yes |
| Updated | 2024-10-09 |
| Numista | N#341494 |
|---|---|
| Rarity index | 91% |
Reverse
Central anchor dividing date, legend around (the N's are retrograde).
Script: Latin
Lettering:
H.HARRISON. ST. LEONARDS. EDIN.
17 96
Edge
Plain
Comment
Three varieties of this Lothian Harrisons’s token exist DH#19-21, all with the same obverse but with slight changes to the reverse:DH#19, Atkins#14 N's retrograde, ST. above and EDIN. below anchor;
DH#20, Atkins#15 N's normal, no dots between, EDIN. to right of anchor;
DH#21 Similar to DH#19 but with wider spacing between HARRISON and ST.
Interesting fact
One interesting fact about the Token ½ Penny (Lothian - Edinburgh / Harrison's) 1796 from United Kingdom is that it was issued during a time of severe currency shortages in Scotland, particularly in the city of Edinburgh. The coin was minted by a private company, Harrison's, and was intended to serve as a substitute for the official British halfpenny coin, which was in short supply. The coin's design features a distinctive image of a thistle, the national flower of Scotland, on the reverse side. Despite its origins as a private token, the coin was later recognized as legal tender by the British government, making it a unique and interesting piece of numismatic history.
