© ZacUK
© ZacUK
½ Penny Middlesex - T. Hall ND
1795 year| Copper | - | 28 mm |
| Issuer | United Kingdom (United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies) |
|---|---|
| Type | Token |
| Year | 1795 |
| Value | ½ Penny (1⁄480) |
| Currency | Conder tokens (1787-1797) |
| Composition | Copper |
| Diameter | 28 mm |
| Thickness | 1.2 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Technique | Milled |
| Orientation | Coin alignment ↑↓ |
| Demonetized | 1797 |
| Updated | 2024-10-09 |
| Numista | N#109260 |
|---|---|
| Rarity index | 92% |
Reverse
Central legend across four horizontal lines, surrounded by legend in a double circle, toothed border
Script: Latin
Lettering:
THE 1st
ARTIST
IN
EUROPE
T. HALL · PRESERVER · OF · BIRDS · BEASTS · OR · REPTILEs.
NEAR · FINSBURY · SQUARE · CITTY ROAD ·
Edge
Diagonally milled \ \ \ \
Comment
Probably not a Conder token but rather an admission token for a menagerie run by Thomas Hall. Thomas Hall of No. 10 City Road, London was a taxidermist, curiosity dealer and proprietor of an exhibition of stuffed birds and animals, curiosities and natural phenomena.A similar token (DH#318) is distinguished by the following:
a small toucan, the beak extends below the E of OBSERVERS and the lower branch to the left points between the T and O of TO word. That is catalogued (Atkins p.95, 229; D&H Middlesex 318).
Interesting fact
One interesting fact about the Token ½ Penny (Middlesex - T. Hall) ND (1795) coin is that it was issued during a time of severe coinage shortages in the United Kingdom, particularly in rural areas. To address this issue, many private token issuers, such as T. Hall, produced their own copper tokens to serve as a substitute for the official currency. These tokens were widely accepted and used for everyday transactions, and they remain a unique and interesting piece of numismatic history.
