Posted 04/11/2017 12:12 am
These are called imitation spade guineas. Originally designed for use as whist markers/score counters, they started out as brass reproductions of guineas and half-guineas with the "spade" shield reverse; later on, the reverses switched to popular sayings, political references, and advertisements for various products.
The Kett(le) on yours indicates manufacture by Kettle, a large and well-known manufacturer of gaming counters and tokens in England since the 1780s. Kettle also made imitation tokens with the designs of early US gold coinage, which are collectible in their own right, just as the imitation spade guineas are collectible. Your piece appears to be struck on an undersize flan, perhaps a half guinea token flan struck in a guinea token die, or simply showing a large amount of edge/rim wear.
The Kett(le) on yours indicates manufacture by Kettle, a large and well-known manufacturer of gaming counters and tokens in England since the 1780s. Kettle also made imitation tokens with the designs of early US gold coinage, which are collectible in their own right, just as the imitation spade guineas are collectible. Your piece appears to be struck on an undersize flan, perhaps a half guinea token flan struck in a guinea token die, or simply showing a large amount of edge/rim wear.
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"Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossible before they were done." -- Louis D. Brandeis
"Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossible before they were done." -- Louis D. Brandeis
