© GT Foreman (CC BY-NC)
© GT Foreman (CC BY-NC)
½ Penny Warwickshire - Coventry / Kempson's
1797 year| Copper | - | 28.5 mm |
| Issuer | United Kingdom (United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies) |
|---|---|
| King | George III (1760-1820) |
| Type | Token |
| Year | 1797 |
| Value | ½ Penny (1⁄480) |
| Currency | Conder tokens (1787-1797) |
| Composition | Copper |
| Diameter | 28.5 mm |
| Thickness | 3 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Technique | Milled |
| Orientation | Coin alignment ↑↓ |
| Demonetized | Yes |
| Updated | 2024-10-09 |
| Numista | N#326967 |
|---|---|
| Rarity index | 95% |
Reverse
Arms of Coventry, an elephant bearing a castle on it’s back. Above the shield is the crest of a cat, stagnant, gardant.
Script: Latin
Lettering:
THE ARMS OF COVENTRY
P KEMPSON FECIT
17 97
Engraver: Peter Kempson
Edge
Plain
Comment
This token is one of a series of Peter Kempson conders based upon Coventry landmarks. DH#267a is the pictured coin; DH#267 has similar obverse and reverse but the edge has the lettering ~~~ COVENTRY TOKEN ~~~. DH#268 has the same obverse and edge as DH#267 but the reverse is a left-handed facing portrait of Handel.Interesting fact
The A Token ½ Penny (Warwickshire - Coventry / Kempson's) 1797 coin from the United Kingdom is interesting because it was issued during a time of severe coinage shortages in the late 18th century. To address this issue, many private token issuers, such as Kempson's, produced their own copper tokens to serve as small change. This coin is a rare example of a privately issued token that was used as currency during that time.
