Farthing - Oxfordshire Oxford / T. Hunsdon
1666 year| Copper | 0.85 g | 15 mm |
| Issuer | England (United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies) |
|---|---|
| King | Charles II (1660-1685) |
| Type | Token |
| Year | 1666 |
| Value | 1 Farthing (1⁄960) |
| Currency | English Trade Tokens (1648-72) |
| Composition | Copper |
| Weight | 0.85 g |
| Diameter | 15 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Technique | Hammered |
| Demonetized | Yes |
| Updated | 2024-10-09 |
| Numista | N#386977 |
|---|---|
| Rarity index | 97% |
Reverse
Issuers initials within twisted wire circle, legend around.
Script: Latin
Lettering:
*IN * OXON * 1666*
TH
Edge
Plain
Comment
Thomas Hunsdon (1642-1701) was the son of a yeoman of Sparsholt. At the age of fifteen he was apprenticed to an Oxford chandler, John Hunsdon and was granted his freedom in 1664. By 1666, when this token was issued, he was a Constable of the town, he was married to his wife Elizabeth by 1667 and had four children born between March 1667 (OS) to 1676. She is recorded as dying in March 1682 (OS).
He served as Mayor's Chamberlain in 1672, Junior Baliff and Moneymaster in 1676, Assistant Mayor in 1684, and Mayor of Oxford in 1686-1687.
In 1688 he was involved in the controversy over James II's appointment of Aldermen to the council and is depicted in Heemskerk the Younger's painting "The election in the Guildhall in Oxford", which is extant to this day. He served in various other civic roles. He was married again by 1697, and he served as Mayor for a second time in 1697-8. He died in 1701, a rich man. His tomb, shared with Elizabeth, his first wife, is still extant in the University Church of St Mary-the-Virgin, Oxford.
The premises he was trading from in 1666 when this token was issued are uncertain, but may be 103 High Street, which is still extant.
Interesting fact
One interesting fact about the Token Farthing - Oxfordshire (Oxford / T. Hunsdon) 1666 from England is that it was issued during a time of great economic turmoil in the country. The coin was minted in 1666, just a year after the Great Fire of London, which had caused widespread destruction and disrupted trade. Additionally, the country was also facing a severe shortage of small change, which made everyday transactions difficult for ordinary people. The Token Farthing was issued as a local currency to address this issue and help facilitate trade in the region. Despite its humble origins, the coin has become a highly sought-after collector's item among numismatists today.
