Dr Samuel Johnson Halfpenny Trading Token

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Author	Replies: 7 / Views: 628
Spyro Valued Member United Kingdom 375 Posts	Posted 12/05/2025 04:33 am Picked this one up the other day. 29mm diameter. 9.9 grams. Apparently issued by a chap called Henry Biggs in 1792 though there's no date on it. The edge inscription says "BIRMINGHAM W'HAMPTON . OR LITCHFIELD" Note the misspelling of Lichfield. He may have run a pub called The Samuel Johnson, in Moor Street in Birmingham, but my examination of a 19th century plan of Brum city centre didn't reveal a pub of that name. Apparently his original issue had given that name and he was a bit alarmed when lots of people tried to cash them in so he altered the edge inscription! They were struck by John Westwood, who wasn't above over-producing tokens and selling them off to anyone at a discount. This obviously caused mayhem, but wasn't illegal... Report this Post to the Staff

jbuck Moderator United States 187446 Posts	Posted 12/05/2025 08:30 am Very nice! Coin Collector Since 1978 Avatar Old Avatar 7070 Eisenhower Australia Canada World CCF Members on eBay CCF eBay Search Engine Report this Post to the Staff
HondoB Bedrock of the Community United States 24878 Posts	Posted 12/05/2025 09:00 am Nice conder and interesting story, spyro! Inordinately fascinated by bits of metal with strange markings and figures Report this Post to the Staff
Spyro Valued Member United Kingdom 375 Posts	Posted 12/05/2025 10:54 am Many thanks. The story made me wonder if mr Biggs had ever meant them to be cashed in. There were certainly issuers who thought like that, hence the number of "evasives" to be found, of which this may be one of the first, if not one of the best documented... Report this Post to the Staff
Errers and Varietys Bedrock of the Community United States 73579 Posts	Posted 12/05/2025 11:34 pm Good information and nice token. Errers and Varietys. Report this Post to the Staff
Freespeech57 Pillar of the Community United States 613 Posts	Posted 12/06/2025 5:41 pm Very nice. Thank you for sharing Report this Post to the Staff
Dearborn Moderator United States 94636 Posts	Posted 12/07/2025 8:12 pm nice one spyro! Collecting since 1972. Learning from then on "Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." - Benjamin Franklin 7070 type set coin count: 51/76 Uncirculated American Silver Eagles My American Silver Eagle Proof Collection Sacagawea Dollars Innovation Dollars Eisenhower-Dollars Kennedy-Half Dollars Washington-Quarters Roosevelt-Dimes Buffalo-Nickels 1938-2005 Jefferson-Nickels Lincoln-Cents Report this Post to the Staff
Spyro Valued Member United Kingdom 375 Posts	Posted 04/18/2026 06:10 am The Westwood and Hancock story is well worth looking at. Their early work (especially the 1780's Parys Mines Tokens) is splendid and at one point they were Matthew Boulton's greatest rivals, but they went downhill in a big way after a few years. Recently had the privilege of examining Shrewsbury Museum's entire collection of their Salop Woollen Mill tokens - over 30 of them. I'm going to try and do a magazine article about them at some point. Report this Post to the Staff
	Replies: 7 / Views: 628

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