© bertie
© bertie
Farthing - Kent Hythe / J. Bassett
1670 year| Copper | 2 g | 18.6 mm |
| Issuer | England (United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies) |
|---|---|
| King | Charles II (1660-1685) |
| Type | Token |
| Year | 1670 |
| Value | 1 Farthing (1⁄960) |
| Currency | English Trade Tokens (1648-72) |
| Composition | Copper |
| Weight | 2 g |
| Diameter | 18.6 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Demonetized | 1674 |
| Updated | 2024-10-09 |
| Numista | N#301499 |
|---|---|
| Rarity index | 97% |
Reverse
Central shield of Grocers' Arms within inner beaded circle, legend around.
Script: Latin
Lettering: IN · HYTH · IN · KENT ·
Edge
Plain
Comment
Arms of the Worshipful Company of Grocers: Argent, a chevron gules between nine cloves proper six in chief and three in base.
Throughout the period of issue for the trade tokens, there were often plans by the Crown to produce farthings, it was only in 1672, that the first was finally issued. On the 16th August 1672, a proclamation was made by the crown, ordering the minting of trade tokens to cease, a further proclamation was issued in 1673, but it was only with the issue of a third proclamation in 1674, that the issue of trade tokens, finally ceased. By this time the use of trade tokens had once again, begun to fall, so the latest dates for tokens, are relatively rare.
Interesting fact
One interesting fact about the A Token Farthing - Kent (Hythe / J. Bassett) 1670 coin is that it was issued during a time when there was a severe shortage of small denomination coins in circulation in England, particularly in the rural areas. To address this issue, local traders and merchants began issuing their own tokens, like this one, which were accepted as currency by the community. This coin is a rare example of a token that was issued by a private individual, J. Bassett, and it is believed that only a small number of these coins were minted, making it a valuable collector's item for numismatists today.
