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| Roman Empire - Double Denarius |
ANCIENT - ROMAN EMPIRE (1st CENT BC - 5th CENT AD) ROMAN EMPIRE Trajan Decius, AD 249-251
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AR Double-Denarius rv emperor on horseback
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NGC Ch XF Strike: 4/5 Surface: 4/5
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Purchased on 8/2/2011.
This coin was purchased as an addition to my horse-themed set. It was struck during the reign of Gaius Messius Quintus Decius Augustus (more commonly known as Decius). He was the 34th Emperor of the Roman Empire and reigned from 249-251 AD. Decius was the first Roman Emperor killed in battle against a foreign enemy. Almost all of his predecessors and successors suffered death by assassination, suicide, or natural (plague) causes.
OBVERSE: The bust of Decius.
REVERSE: The emperor on horseback facing left.
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| Roman Empire - Centenionalis |
ANCIENT - ROMAN EMPIRE (1st CENT BC - 5th CENT AD) ROMAN EMPIRE Constantius II,AD 337-361
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BI Centenionalis spearing fallen horseman Nicomedia(?). rv soldier
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NGC MS Strike: 4/5 Surface: 5/5
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Purchased on 2/2/2014.
Constantius II AE22, RIC VIII Nicomedia 84
DN CONSTAN-TIVS PF AVG, pearl diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right
FEL TEMP RE-PARATIO, soldier spearing fallen horseman who is
bearded, wears cap, reaching backwards.
Mintmark: SMN + Officiana Letter; Gamma in left field.
Rated C3
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| Poland/Lithuania - Half Grosz |
POLAND - TO 1668
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1/2G 1547 LITHUANIA
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NGC MS 63
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Purchased on 7/13/2013.
This coin was minted during the time of informal union of the empires of Poland and Lithuania. It was minted during the reign of Sigismund I the Old (Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland). He would die one year later, and his son Sigismund II would take the throne.
OBVERSE: The obverse of the coin bears the text [* MONETA * MAGNI * DUCAT 9 LITVA] along with the Lithuanian coat of arms symbolism of a knight on horseback (Vytis).
REVERSE: The reverse bears the text [* SIGIS * AVG * REX * PO * MAG * DVX * LI] translated as "Sigisimund Augustus, King of Poland, Grand Duke of Lithuania". This side of the coin bears the very old heraldic eagle, a part of the original Piast Dynasty coat of arms dating to 992, and still today a part of the official coat of arms of Poland.
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| Poland - 1/2 Grosz |
POLAND - TO 1668
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1/2G 1548 LITHUANIA
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NGC AU 58
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Purchased on eBay auction on 4/3/2011. This is an almost uncirculated example of a 460-year old coin. When I saw it on eBay, I fell in love with the antiquity and beauty of this little coin.
This coin was minted during the time of informal union of the empires of Poland and Lithuania. It was minted during the important transition year of 1548. Sigismund I the Old (Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland) died in this year, and thereafter his only son Sigismund II Augustus took the throne.
OBVERSE: The obverse of the coin bears the text [* MONETA * MAGNI * DUCAT 9 LITVA] along with the Lithuanian coat of arms symbolism of a knight on horseback.
REVERSE: The reverse bears the text [* SIGIS * AVG * REX * PO * MAG * DVX * LI] translated as "Sigisimund Augustus, King of Poland, Grand Duke of Lithuania". This side of the coin bears the very old heraldic eagle, a part of the original Piast Dynasty coat of arms dating to 992, and still today a part of the official coat of arms of Poland.
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| Poland - 3 Grosz |
POLAND - TO 1668
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3G 1597 NI IF OLKUSZ
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PCGS MS 63
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Purchased 6 Dec 2020.
The reverse includes the Poland-Lithuania Vytis image of a knight on horseback in the upper right.
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| Teutonic Order - Taler |
GERMANY - TALERS
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TALER 1603 TEUTONIC ORDER DAV-5848
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PCGS AU 50
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Purchased on 7/19/2012 from fellow board member and Taler guru Zo444.
This obverse shows Grand Master Archduke Maximilian III of Austria (1590-1618) standing between an Austrian shield and helmet. He is wearing his trademark archducal hat, which remains a relic of great importance currently housed in the Klosterneuburg Monastery in Austria. The reverse features an armored Knight encircled by 14 smaller shields and a large shield of the Order, domiciled at Mergentheim, Württemberg. This is a beautiful example of a 400+ year old Taler, and a highlight of my horses themed collection.
DAV 5848. MT-366 / Neumann 108
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| Brunswick-Luneburg - 4 Mariengroschen |
GERMANY - MINOR COINS
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4MG 1681 HB BRUNS.-LUNEBURG-CALENBERG
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NGC MS 64
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Purchased on 14 Oct 2020.
A two year type (1681 and 1686) of the 4 Mariengroschen small silver coinage. The type was issued during the leadership of Ernest Augustus, the father of the eventual George I of the Hanoverian house of Great Britain regents.
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| Brunswick-Lune-Calen - 2/3 Thaler |
German States Brunswick-Luneburg-Calenberg-Hannover
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Silver 2/3 Thaler 1690 HB D-409; Welter 1974
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PCGS AU 55
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Purchased 6/23/2013.
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| Brunswick-Luneberg - 4 Mariengroschen |
GERMANY - MINOR COINS
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4MG 1700 BRUNS.-LUNE.-CALEN.-HANN. HORSE
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NGC MS 63
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Purchased on 5/8/2012.
Obverse legend: GEORG: LVD: DGDB&LSRIAT&E*
Reverse legend: IN RECTO DECUS
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This coin was minted in 1700 when the Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneberg was overseen by George Louis, more commonly known today as King George I of Great Britain and Ireland. George I was born on 28 May 1660 and died on 11 June 1727. He was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 August 1714 until his death, and ruler of the Duchy and Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg (Hanover) in the Holy Roman Empire from 1698.
George was born in Hanover, in what is now Germany, and inherited the titles and lands of the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg from his father and uncles. A succession of European wars expanded his German domains during his lifetime, and in 1708 he was ratified as prince-elector of Hanover. At the age of 54, after the death of Queen Anne of Great Britain, George ascended the British throne as the first monarch of the House of Hanover. Although over fifty Roman Catholics bore closer blood relationships to Anne, the Act of Settlement 1701 prohibited Catholics from inheriting the British throne. George, however, was Anne's closest living Protestant relative. In reaction, Jacobites attempted to depose George and replace him with Anne's Catholic half-brother, James Francis Edward Stuart, but their attempts failed.
During George's reign, the powers of the monarchy diminished and Britain began a transition to the modern system of cabinet government led by a prime minister. Towards the end of his reign, actual power was held by Sir Robert Walpole, Britain's first de facto prime minister. George died on a trip to his native Hanover, where he was buried.
An interesting historical tid-bit is that this coin was minted in 1700. This was the same year that the territories forming the electorate introduced - like all Protestant territories of imperial immediacy - the Improved Calendar, as it was called by Protestants, in order not to mention the name of Pope Gregory XIII. So Sunday, the 18 February of Old Style was followed by Monday, the 1 March New Style. So, arguably, this coin was issued during the shortest year in the history of this German State, at only 355 days.
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| German State - Silver 2 Ducats |
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S2D (1740-60) GERMANY WURTTEMBERG-STUTTGART KLIPPE
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NGC MS 62
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Purchased from Coin Rarities Online (CRO) early bird offerings on 6/17/2014. A splendidly toned and extremely fascinating klippe coin. One of the true highlights of my horse themed set, and difficult to ever think about parting with.
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The design is described in:
Schwäbische Merckwürdigkeiten, oder kleine Abhandlungen, Auszüge und vermischte Nachrichten von Schwäbischen Sachen: zum Dienst und Vergnügen hoher und niedriger, gelehrt- und ungelehrter Personen. By Johann Jacob Moser, Ulm, 1765. Page 408; item 277.
Square ducat.
Obverse: The city of Stuttgart. Below, “Stuttgardia.”
Reverse: A stud, with a foal, and the surrounding text “Well raised youth makes one happy”
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| Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel - 2 Mariengroschen |
German States BRUNSWICK-WOLFENBUTTEL 1740
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Silver 2 MG 1740 IBH KM# 859
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PCGS AU 58
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Purchased on 12/26/2011.
I imaged this coin using "axial lighting" to bring out the beautiful blues and rainbow tones on the periphery of the coin. When I purchased this coin, I had no idea (based on the seller's images) that it exhibited such wonderful toning. It was a pleasant surprise when I received it in hand!
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The horse is the leaping Brunswick horse, also known as the Saxon Steed, and dates to many hundred years prior to this coin. The legend "Nunquam Retrorsum" translates roughly as "never look back" or "never retreat". The large cipher "C" with the crown above represents Charles, and is surrounded by a legend which translates as "By the grace of God, Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg".
This coin was minted during the leadership of Charles, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (Bevern line) and the Prince of Wolfenbüttel from 1735 until his death. Charles was born in 1713, the eldest son of Ferdinand Albert II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. He fought under Prince Eugene of Savoy against the Ottoman Empire before inheriting the Principality of Wolfenbüttel from his father in 1735. On the suggestion of his priest, Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Jerusalem, in 1745 he founded the Collegium Carolinum, an institute of higher education which is today known as the Technical University of Brunswick. He also hired Gotthold Ephraim Lessing as the librarian for the Bibliotheca Augusta, the ducal library.
Charles attempted to promote the economic development of his state; for example, he founded the Fürstenberg Porcelain Company, and he installed mandatory fire insurance. However, he did not manage to keep the state finances in check. As a consequence, in 1773 his eldest son Charles William Ferdinand took over government.
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| Saxony - 2 Groschen |
German States Saxony
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2G 1741 GERMANY SAXONY
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NGC AU 58
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Purchased on 9/25/2011.
This is a two year 2 Groschen type coin (1741-1742) issued in the German State of Saxony. This example bears the date 1741, and was issued in silver with a diameter of 23 mm and a thickness of 1.2mm. The coin is of medalic orientation. The weak strike at the edges of the coin suggest that the flan was not of equal thickness throughout. However, the central details of the obverse (mounted rider) and the reverse (unoccupied throne) are superb.
The obverse features Frederick Augustus II, Prince Elector of Saxony from 1733-1763. He is more widely known by the title of Augustus III, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, a title he had from 1734-1763. After his father's death, he inherited Saxony and was elected King of Poland, with the support of Russian and Austrian military forces in the War of the Polish Succession (1733–1738). As King, Augustus III was not interested in the affairs of his Polish–Lithuanian state, focusing instead on his personal interests including hunting, opera, and the collection of fine art. During his 30-year reign, he spent less than a total of 3 years in Poland -- instead, he delegated most of his powers and responsibilities to Heinrich von Brühl, who became a quasi-dictator of Poland. Also of note, the thirty years of Augustus III's reign was during the time of the Seven Years' War (1754 and 1756–1763).
Some interesting historical information about Augustus III's life include: In 1733, the Saxon composer Johann Sebastian Bach dedicated his Kyrie and Gloria (of what would later become his Mass in B Minor) to Augustus in honor of his succession to the Saxon electorate. With regard to his personal and family life, on 20 August 1719, he was married to the Archduchess, Maria Josepha of Austria, daughter of Joseph I, the Holy Roman Emperor. They had fifteen children, the most notable of whom would arguably be Maria Josepha Karolina Eleonore Franziska Xaveria (1731-1767) who married into the French royal family and was the mother of Kings Louis XVI, Louis XVIII and Charles X of France. Louis XVI (the grandson of Augustus III) is famous for having been the only King of France to have ever been executed.
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| Commemorative Medal |
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CU 1744 MI-590,237 RECAPTURE OF PRAGUE (42.2mm)
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NGC MEDAL MS 62 BN
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Purchased on 6/29/2015.
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| Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel - 1/12 Thaler |
GERMANY - FRAC. TALERS
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1/12T 1751 C BRUNS.-LUNE.-CALEN.-HANN.
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NGC AU 55
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Purchased on 5/24/2012.
This coin was minted during the time of the reign of George II (King of England) as the Duke of Brunswick-Luneburg. The design is very simple, with no reference to the the ruling class, but only including the date, and denomination information. George II's full style was "George the Second, by the Grace of God, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, Archtreasurer and Prince-Elector of the Holy Roman Empire". Only 9 years after the issue of this coin, George II would die, leaving the titles and throne to his grandson, George III of England.
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| Great Britain - 1 Shilling |
GREAT BRITAIN 1707-1815
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1S 1758 G.britain KM# 583.3
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NGC AU 50
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Purchased on 12/4/2012.
This is a one shilling piece issued in 1758 by Great Britain. It was issued as a circulation strike dated in only 3 years (1750, 1751, and 1758), and the 1758 is the most affordable of the issues. It is listed in Krause as KM#583.3, and the 1758 coin is valued at $225 in XF40. The 1750 and 1751 issues are listed in Krause at values of $800-$1200 in XF40. This example is very well struck, and exhibits very nice original toning.
George II, the son of King George I of Great Britain, was born (1683) and raised in Northern Germany and was the last British Monarch born outside of Great Britain. He reigned from 1727 as King of Great Britain and Ireland; but, he was additionally Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (Hanover), and as such, the rearing Saxon Steed is included among the shields on the reverse of this Shilling. Upon his death in 1760, he was succeeded by his grandson, King George III. The monarchs of Great Britain were of the House of Hanover from 1714 (George I) until the death of Queen Victoria in 1901.
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| Brandenburg-Ansback - 1/4 Thaler |
GERMANY - FRAC. TALERS
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1/4T 1765 KE BRANDENBURG-ANSBACH
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PCGS AU 58
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Purchased on 9/21/2015.
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| France - Jeton |
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JETON 1773 FRANCE SILVER LOUIS XV (28.2mm 36.6g)
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NGC JETON MS 62
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Purchased on 6/12/2012.
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| France - Jeton |
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JETON 1776 FRANCE SILVER MAIRIE DE NANTES (6.9g 29.2mm)
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NGC JETON AU 58
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Purchased on 3/12/2012.
This is a jeton commemorating the re-election of Jean-Baptiste Gellée de Prémion in 1776, as the Mayor of Nantes. He was first elected as the 80th Mayor of Nantes in 1754 and served 10 years. Upon his re-election in 1776 he served another 6 years until 1782. The Mayor of Nantes is an elected position, and exists to this day as a highly sought after seat.
Nantes itself is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, some 30 miles from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants. Nantes, labeled art and history city, is the capital city of the Pays de la Loire region and the Loire-Atlantique département and also the largest city in the Grand-Ouest (North western France). Together with Vannes, Rennes and Carhaix, it was one of the major cities of the historic province of Brittany, and the ancient Duchy of Brittany.
Nantes plays an important role as a "port city", and thus the maritime sea horse theme (with ties to the God Neptune) is a common one. On the side of the jeton featuring the city's official coat of arms, the surrounding text contains the name "Gellée de Prémion".
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| Great Britain - Token Halfpenny |
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1/2P 1791 G.BRIT D&H-17 YORKSHIRE E: PAYABLE AT WAREHOUSE
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NGC TOKEN MS 65 BN
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Purchased on 7/12/2011.
This is a common Conder Token, with 5 tons estimated to have been struck. There are trifling variations in the dies used for this token, and there are also several mules. This is a superbly struck example of the token, graded as MS65BN by NGC. It exhibits great detail and overall chocolatey beauty.
OBVERSE: The design is taken from the equestrian statue of William III standing near the south end of the Market Place. It was erected by public subscription in 1734, and was at first in a large square, but this took up too much space, and it was replaced by a close railing with four lamps placed around it. The statue was executed by Scheemaker. The pedestal bears the inscription: "This statue was erected in the year 1734 to the memory of King William III, our great deliverer." The inscription is "GULIELMUS TERTIUS REX." which translates at "King William the Third". The bottom bears the date of "MDCLXXXIX" which is 1689 in Roman Numerals -- this is the year in which King William came to the throne as the King of England, Scotland, and Ireland.
REVERSE: The reverse presents the Arms of the town of Hull, originally known as Wyke-upon-Hull, and subsequently Kingstown, or Kingston-upon-Hull: incorporated by Edward I, and made a county of itself by Henry VI. The text is "Hull Halfpenny" and it bears the date of striking of 1791.
EDGE: The edge is stamped with the text "PAYABLE AT THE WAREHOUSE OF IONATHAN GARTON & CO". Garton and Shackles were linen drapers in the Market Place in Hull.
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| Great Britain - Token Halfpenny |
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1/2P 1792 G.BRIT D&H-231 WARWICKSHIRE - COVENTRY E: PAYABLE AT WAREHOUSE
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NGC TOKEN MS 65 BN
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Purchased at Winter FUN 2014, 1/9/2014.
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| Great Britain - Token Halfpenny |
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1/2P 1792 G.BRIT D&H-149 LANCASHIRE - ROCHDALE E: PAYBLE IN LONDON
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NGC TOKEN MS 66 RB
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Purchased on 4/9/2013.
Rochdale (Lancashire) copper Conder halfpenny token dated 1792, D&H 149
Obverse: The Arms of the Clothworkers' Company with a ram crest: “ROCHDALE HALFPENNY 1792”.
Reverse: Mounted dragoon presenting sabre galloping left: “PRO REGE ET PATRIA”, “QUEENS BAYS”.
Edge inscription: “PAYABLE IN LONDON” with the remainder engrailed.
Listed in Dalton & Hamer as “SCARCE” (estimated mintage of 75-150 tokens).
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This particular token is conserved in almost original state, and graded at an unbelievable NGC MS66RB. Almost certainly amongst the nicest examples of this token extant. The token is referred to as a "mule" because the dies were previously used to strike other tokens. The reverse dragoon (horse) design of this token is featured on several Conders from other counties including:
Norfolk DH-7, 46, and 47
Somersetshire DH-87
Warwickshire DH-60 and 61
Yorkshire DH-64
The "Queens Bays" refers to the 2nd Dragoon Guards, active from 1767 to 1959. The regiment was ordered to be mounted on bay horses, noted for their dark red coat and jet-black mane and tails. This cavalry regiment in the British Army were active in dozens of skirmishes throughout their existence. In 1921 their official name became the "Queen's Bays", which had only been referenced colloquially before that time. After 250 years, in 1935 the Bays lost their horses and became a mechanized regiment. They transferred to the Royal Armoured Corps in 1939, and were active on many fronts in World War II.
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According to the information from the British Numismatic collection:
Thomas Wyon, die-engraver
Peter Kempson, manufacturer
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| Great Britain - Token Halfpenny |
G.BRIT - WILTSHIRE
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1/2P 1794 G.BRIT D&h-1 WILTSHIRE - COUNTY E: MILLED ///
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NGC MS 63 BN
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Purchased on 8/5/2013, submitted to NGC in January 2014. Listed in D&H as Rare, downgraded in recent updates to scarce, with other evidence suggesting as many as 650 tokens originally struck. This piece has a nice long provenance, and write-up from the 2005 Spence II sale.
EX: DNW, David Griffiths sale of Oct. 2012, Lot 374.
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EX: DNW, DAVID L SPENCE COLLECTION OF 18TH CENTURY TOKENS (PART II) (28-29 SEP 2005), Lot 1810.
Provenance: Fawcett/Litman Collection.
About 650 struck for Markes Lambe, the Bath trader and numismatist. On 4 June 1794, at a meeting at the Bear Hotel in Devizes, the decision was taken to create bodies of yeomanry cavalry throughout Wiltshire; the first troop, of 56 yeomen, had already been formed at Bishops Cannings on 12 May. Initially consisting of ten troops acting independently and mustered over the following 12 months, they combined to form a single regiment, the Wiltshire Yeomanry Cavalry, on 15 April 1797. It is suggested that these tokens were struck at about that time. Command of the new body was given Sir Charles Brudenell-Bruce, 1st Marquess of Ailesbury (1773-1856), the captain of the Marlborough troop and MP for the borough from 1796 to 1814. In June 1798 all ten troops paraded for the first time at Devizes and marched to Beckhampton Down, where Lady Bruce presented five standards; the regiment then comprised 28 officers and 595 NCOs, a total figure not unadjacent to the numbers of tokens struck, whether by accident or design.
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| Great Britain - Token Halfpenny |
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1/2P 1794 G.BRIT D&H-6 LINCOLNSHIRE - SPALDING E: PAYABLE AT T. IENNINGS
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NGC TOKEN MS 65 BN
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Purchased on 6/19/2013.
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| Great Britain - Token Halfpenny |
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1/2P 1794 G.BRIT D&H-30 KENT - HAWKHURST E: CHARLES HIDER'S
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NGC TOKEN MS 64 RB
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Purchased on 5/25/2013.
A genuine trade token issued by Charles Hider, 20,600 minted, the diesinker was Arnold and the manufacturer William Lutwyche. A shield with a horse salient is the Arms of the county of Kent while the wheatsheaf is the Crest of the Hider family.
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| Great Britain - Token Halfpenny |
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1/2P 1794 G.BRIT D&H-19 SUFFOLK - BLYTHING E: GOD SAVE THE KING
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NGC TOKEN MS 66 RB
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Purchased on 5/11/2013.
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| Italy - 10 soldi |
ITALY - PRE- NAPOLEONIC
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10SOL 1794 PIACENZA
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NGC F 12
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Purchased on 1/7/2012.
Obverse: Crowned shield of manifold arms, with central shield of oval Borbone arms, divide mintmaster's initials, date at end of legend. Legend: "FERD. I. H. I. D. G. PLAC. PAR. V. D. 1794"
Reverse: St. Antoninus on horseback to left. holding pennant, SOLD. X in exergue. Legend: S. ANTO. - M. - PROT. PLAC.
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| Great Britain - Token Halfpenny |
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1/2P (1790'S) GB D&H-339 MIDDLESEX - IBBERSON'S E: PAYABLE AT THE GEORGE
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NGC TOKEN PF 65 BN
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Purchased from Catbert on 6/16/2011. He was kind enough to send it off for grading to NGC before then sending it along to me. It is one of the most stunning examples of a Conder Token I have ever seen. Exactly 2 months after I had verbal acceptance of my offer, I received it on 8/16/2011. I will say, patience was definitely a virtue in the case of this one. Many thanks to Catbert for his patience, his willingness to work with me, and ultimately for his being willing to part with this beautiful piece of history. It is now the cornerstone of my Horse-themed set, and will be my avatar on coin forums for the foreseeable future.
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This particular token is the D&H 342 version, even though NGC has given it the incorrect D&H 339 attribution. The attribution to D&H 342 is definitive, as the token has the larger boar on the obverse, and the text "PONTHON" is very evident on the dividing exergue line. This particular token is a bronzed proof, with absolutely stunning surfaces, razor sharp details, and absolutely pristine edge lettering.
Dalton & Hamer list this token as being "Scarce", which corresponds to a mintage of approximately 75-150 pieces, or a comparable Sheldon Rarity of about R4. Listed in Bell's "Commercial Coins 1787-1804" as "RARE", he estimated a mintage of 75 or less struck of these. In summary, this token is quite scarce in general, and given the high grade of this particular specimen, it is likely the finest surviving example available.
Historical context: Christopher Ibberson was the proprietor of this famous old hostelry in High Holborn in the West End of London. It was originally just called the "Blue Boar" and was a starting point for coaches heading North, and the tokens themselves advertise “Mail and Post Coaches to all parts of England”. Ibberson himself must have been a considerable businessman, as the records of the Old Bailey show him twice sitting on the Middlesex Grand Jury: in 1790, and again in 1792. The same records show that the George & Blue Boar was well known locally. In September 1796, Charles Scoldwell stood trial for the theft of two tame ducks, valued at 3s. During cross-examination, the driver of the stage coach from Bedford, who had brought Scoldwell to London, was asked: Is there a more public inn in Holborn, or more coaches go from any inn, except the George and Blue-Boar? to which he replied 'I don’t believe so.' In the event Scoldwell got more transportation than he had bargained for.
The Ibberson tokens include a rendering of St George and the Dragon by Ponthon, and a neatly impressed edge inscription, though this was a process which Boulton was gradually abandoning, relying instead on the precision of manufacture and the full weight of his tokens, for their security against counterfeiting. Ibberson ordered half a ton of tokens in December 1794, but by February 1795 wrote again to Boulton, this time to cancel his order ‘as in consequence of what appeared in the Gazette a few evenings ago, there is not a doubt but the Circulation of the new Halfpence will be Stopped.’ In the event, it was not the Circulation but Ibberson’s tokens themselves which were stopped.
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FROM DALTON & HAMER:
The Ibberson tokens of this design are indexed in Dalton & Hamer with numbers 338 through 343.
338. An artist's proof in tin of the obverse die of No. 339 without the boar (unique).
339. Obv: St. George killing the dragon, crest, a boar. HOLBORN LONDON (Exergue: C. IBBERSON)
Rev: MAIL. & | POST COACHES | TO ALL PARTS OF | ENGLAND (in four lines with a laurel)
Edge: PAYABLE AT THE GEORGE & BLUE BOAR LONDON.
Also stuck in silver
339a. Same as 339, but with milled edge.
340. Obv: Same as 339 (or very similar).
Rev: A cypher R W on a shield, hanging on a tree, &c.
341. Obv: Same as 339 (or very similar).
Rev: No.— | SIX | PENCE | 1800 (unique, in British museum).
342. Obv : Similar to last, but the boar is larger, and with PONTHON in minute letters on the exergue line.
Rev: The same as No. 339.
Edge: The same as No. 339.
Also struck in silver.
343 and 343Bis. Obv: An imitation struck by Taylor of Holborn about 1870, has a small boar, and is
without saddle-cloth. Ex: G. JBBERSON. Rev: Similar to No. 339, but the letters are narrower. Edge: Plain (in collar).
Struck in brass, copper, and white-metal. 343 Bis is similar, but reads C. IBBERSON.
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| Great Britain - Token Halfpenny |
G.BRIT - MIDDLESEX
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1/2P (1790'S)G.B. D&h-362j MIDDLESEX - LYCEUM E: MILLED \\\
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NGC MS 63 BN
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Purchased on 8/29/2011, submitted to NGC in January 2014.
Lot No. 342 of the first part of R. Brown Jr’s collection by Dix Noonan Webb in London on 6th October 2010. Very rare edge, not listed in the original D&H, but since added in the updates.
Approximate mintage of 30 with milled right edge.
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| Great Britain - Token Halfpenny |
G.BRIT - HAMPSHIRE
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1/2P 1795 G.BRIT D&h-51 HAMPSHIRE - PETERSFIELD E: PAYABLE IN LONDON
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NGC MS 63 BN
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Purchased on 8/12/2013, submitted to NGC in January 2014.
Lovely prooflike surfaces, and about as nice as this issue comes. Listed as scarce in D&H, with a mintage of approximately 300 pieces.
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| Great Britain - Token Halfpenny |
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1/2P 1795 G.BRIT D&H-33D SUFFULK - HOXNE E: MILLED ///
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NGC TOKEN MS 65 RB
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Purchased on 5/11/2013.
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| Great Britain - Token Halfpenny |
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1/2P 1795 G.BRIT. D&H-345 MIDDLESEX - KELLY'S E: PAYABLE IN LONDON
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NGC TOKEN MS 64 RB
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Purchased on 4/18/2013.
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| Russia - 1 Kopek |
RUSSIA - 1606-1801
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KOPEK 1796EM
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PCGS AU 58 Brown
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Purchased on 22 Sep 2020.
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| Scotland - Token Farthing |
SCOTLAND - ANGUSSHIRE
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1/4P 1796 SCOT D&h-40 ANGUSSHIRE - DUNDEE E: PLAIN
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NGC MS 64 BN
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Purchased raw on 8/14/2014 and submitted to NGC on 1/8/2015.
Ex RC Bell collection and Ex Neil Beaton collection. Prooflike surfaces.
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| Great Britain - Token Halfpenny |
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1/2P 1796 G.BRIT D&H-79A HAMPSHIRE - PORTSEA E: PAYABLE AT S SALMON
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NGC TOKEN MS 64 BN
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Purchased on 1/8/2015 from Ron Sirna at the 2015 Winter FUN (Orlando, FL).
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| Great Britain - Token Halfpenny |
G.BRIT - NORFOLK
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1/2P 1796 G.BRIT D&h-6b NORFOLK - BLOFIELD E: PLAIN
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NGC MS 66 BN
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Purchased from Ron Sirna, Winter FUN 2014, 1/9/2014.
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| Scotland - Token Farthing |
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1/4P 1797 SCOT D&H-41 ANGUSSHIRE - DUNDEE E: PLAIN
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NGC TOKEN MS 64 BN
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Purchased on 7/14/2011.
There are three versions of this token.
1) The D&H-40 (scarce) is dated 1796.
2) The D&H-41 (rare) is dated 1797 and lacks the stars before and after the legend.
3) The D&H-42 (common) is also dated 1797 and has two stars before and after the legend.
This particular token is the D&H-42 version, even though NGC has incorrectly attributed it as the D&H-41 type. This token exhibits a very strong strike, with the horse and cart side having only the slightest amount of "gunk" at the 7 o'clock position between the rungs of the cart wheel. The horse image itself is stunningly beautiful and sharp. The coin side featuring "Trades Hall" does not exhibit the relatively common rim cuds for this variety, and the strike is crisp. All in all, a very visually appealing piece.
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| Great Britain - Token Penny |
G.BRIT - WARWICKSHIRE
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PENNY 1799 G.BRIT D&h-27a WARWICKSHIRE - BIRMINGHAM E: ARMED TO PRESERVE
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NGC MS 63 BN
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Purchased raw on 8/14/2014 and submitted to NGC on 1/8/2015.
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| Great Britain - Token Halfpenny |
G.BRIT - MIDDLESEX
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1/2P 1800 G.BRIT D&h-340 MIDDLESEX - IBBERSON'S E: PLAIN DH-340
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NGC AU Details
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Purchased on 10/2/2014.
Ex Marshall Collection (Part 1), Heritage, October 2014, Lot 15207
Ex W.J. Noble Collection, July 1998, Lot 463 (Original Noble Auction sale pictured above)
Ex Myles Gerson Collection (purchased from Lickey 1983)
Described in the Noble collection as: "C. IBBERSON HALFPENNY, muled with Enniscorthy reverse dated 1800 (D&H 340). Nearly extremely fine and extremely rare."
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| Great Britain - Token Six Pence |
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6P (c.1810)G.B. DAVIS-29 MIDDLESEX - LONDON CHARING CORSS
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NGC TOKEN MS 64
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Purchased on 5/29/2014 in a Heritage Auction (Monthly World and Ancient Coin Auction - Selections from the Eric P. Newman Collection #241418), Lot #17324.
Ex: Eric P. Newman Collection
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The equestrian statue of Charles I in Charing Cross, London, is a work by the French sculptor Hubert Le Sueur, probably cast in 1633. Its location at Charing Cross is on the former site of the most elaborate of the Eleanor crosses erected by Edward I, which had stood for three and a half centuries until 1647. It also marks the official center of London, and the point to and from which many distances to and from London are measured. The statue faces down Whitehall towards Charles I's place of execution at Banqueting House.
The first Renaissance-style equestrian statue in England, it was commissioned by Charles's Lord High Treasurer Richard Weston for the garden of his country house in Roehampton, Surrey (now in South London). Following the English Civil War the statue was sold to a metal-smith to be broken down, but he hid it until the Restoration. It was installed in its current, far more prominent location in the center of London in 1675, and the elaborately carved plinth dates from that time.
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| Great Britain - Token Halfpenny |
Great Britain MIDDLESEX 1810
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1/2P (1809-11) G.BRITAIN WITHERS-840 MAIL COACH (DAVIS 64)
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NGC TOKEN AU 55 BN
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Purchased on 3/21/2012.
This is an undated halfpenny token, issued for William Waterhouse's London (Middlesex) Mail Coach Office
Obverse: Two headed swan: “PAYABLE AT THE MAIL COACH OFFICE LAD LANE LONDON W. W”.
Reverse: Stagecoach galloping to left: “SPEED. REGULARITY & SECURITY”.
Edge: Milled
Issued by William Waterhouse, the proprietor of the “Swan with Two Necks” Tavern in Lad Lane, London. He operated mail and passenger coaches all over Britain. This undated halfpenny depicts the sign of the Inn which had been the arrival point for the Palmer's historic journey and was subsequently a main London terminus for Mail Coaches. A main contractor's office was there and also route sub-contractors. The two necks is thought to have originated from a swan with two nicks on the beak for ownership. Davis (1904) gave the impression that this was the King's mark, but Withers (1999) tells us it was used by the Company of Vintners, the Monarch's swans being unmarked.
W.W. the issuer was assigned to the Inn proprietor by some or to William Waterhouse a mail contractor by others. An article in 1986 by the great-great-great grandson of Waterhouse, who is not a numismatist, gives some detail and documentary references in support of his ancestor who was the main Mails contractor from 1792 to at least 1828. The coach on the reverse has the Royal Mail cypher. Besant the patentee had died in 1791 and his partner John Vidler continued the contract. He was followed by his sons in 1810. who continued the supply of coaches and their daily servicing. Trains began to take the business from 1830 onward and the last Mail coach ran to Norwich in 1846.
The Swan with Two Necks can be traced back as far as the 1630s as an Inn, later a pub, and later still a coach waypoint. By 1867, the business had closed, and the original buildings were demolished sometime in the late 1800s. To this day, several pubs by the same name have surfaced, not just in England, but in many parts of the world.
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| Great Britain - Shilling token |
GB - AR TOKENS 1811-12
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1S 1811 G.BRIT Dalton-49 SOMERSETSHIRE - BRISTOL Dalton-49; Davis-45
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NGC MS 65
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Purchased on 3/5/2015.
Great Britain, Somersetshire, Bristol, Silver Shilling Token, 1811
Edge milled, diameter 25mm, Approx. 3.9 grams (Dalton-49; Davis-45)
Obverse: Bristol arms with supporters, ship and castle within shield, snake and scales of justice above, unicorns to either side, SEPT 6 1811 below, LET TRADE & COMMERCE FLOURISH ISSUED BY W. SHEPPARD. EXCHANGE.
Reverse: VALUE 12 PENCE in oak leaf wreath at centre, SOMERSETSHIRE, WILTSHIRE, GLOUCESTERSHIRE, SOUTH WALES AND BRISTOL TOKEN in two lines around.
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The arms were officially granted on August 24, 1569. The arms are based on the early seals of Bristol, from which the ship and castle theme (signifying a strongly fortified harbor) developed. The shield was in use from about the 14th century, and to this supporters and crest were added in 1569. The significance of these various items is recorded in the City Audit Books of this time:- the Unicorns will only do homage to men of virtue; the arms in the crest signify that good government depends on wisdom (the serpent) and justice (the scales) and that these are divine gifts from above.
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An interesting snippet from the Bristol Mirror in August 1811 explains the situation at the time these tokens were issued:
SCARCITY OF CHANGE—The total disappearance of Good Coin and the extreme difficulty of procuring Silver Change, continue to perplex, if not to alarm, every description of persons. The Bank [of England] Tokens have been so sparingly issued, that they have hitherto served rather to gratify curiosity than to administer to public convenience. In fact, unless some means are immediately adopted to remedy this daily . . .[increasing] evil, it will be impossible to execute the ordinary transactions of trade. The want of change is no longer merely an inconvenience, but a source of actual distress to thousands of traders and poor people; the former of whom are reduced to the alternative of giving credit, which they wish to avoid, or keeping their commodities in hand; and the latter are compelled to submit to purchases in which the liberty of choice is sacrificed to the necessity of the occasion. It is a serious fact, that several butchers and market people, on the last Taunton market day, declared their intention of withholding all supplies which were not indispensably required by their regular customers, while others avowed their determination to abstain from attending the market altogether.
From James O'Donald Mays' BNJ Article (Silver Tokens and Bristol, 1978):
"William Sheppard was one of those enterprising Bristolians who conducted a wide range of business activities. The 1815 city guide lists him as being a stationer, bookseller, lottery operator, and owner of a patent medicine warehouse. His place of business was near the Exchange, thus assuring him a steady procession of prosperous clients. His own guide of Bristol, published a few years before his tokens were issued, carries a full page of patent medicines available from his shop: his cures bear such intriguing names as Balm of Mecca, Iceland Liverwort, Senate's Embrocation for Worms, and Sicilian Bloom of Youth and Beauty. Sheppard issued shillings (Dalton 49-50) and sixpences (Dalton 65); both denominations would have been useful in purchasing volumes from his bookshop, many of which sold for a shilling or one shilling and sixpence."
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| Great Britain - 1 Shilling token |
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1S (1811)G.BRIT DAVIS-13 MIDDLESEX - LONDON MORGAN 12 RATHBONE PLACE
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NGC TOKEN MS 63
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Purchased on 8/7/2013.
Unsold in the January 2013 N.Y.I.N.C Stacks Auction. This token is described there as:
Lot #4365. GREAT BRITAIN. Middlesex-London. Silver Shilling Token, ND (1811). NGC Token MS-63.
Description: Davis-13 R. Equestrian statue of Charles I; Reverse: Inscription, "MORGAN, 12 RATHBONE PLACE".
NGC Token MS-63. Estimate: $300 - $400
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| Great Britain - Penny Token |
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PENNY 1812 G.BRIT W-186 BIRMINGHAM & SOUTH WALES
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NGC TOKEN MS 62 BN
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Purchased raw on eBay in Dec 2013; submitted and graded by NGC in early 2014.
Very difficult token design to find in nice condition.
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| France - Medal |
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BRONZE 1812-DATED FRANCE JULIUS-2528 BATTLE OF BORODINO MODERN RESTRIKE
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NGC MS 64 BN
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Purchased on 3/3/2013.
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| Canada - Penny token |
ISLE OF MAN 1709-1860
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PENNY 1811 Is.of Man W-2066 PEEL CASTLE "DOUGLAS TOKEN"
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NGC AU Details
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Purchased on 8/10/2014 in an ICCS EF40 flip. Submitted to NGC for grading on 1/8/2015.
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| Great Britain - Shilling |
GREAT BRITAIN 1816-1901
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1S 1817 G.britain
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PCGS MS 65
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Purchased on 4/23/2013.
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| Hannover - 3 Mariengroschen |
GERMANY - STATES - 2
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3MG 1818 CHH HANNOVER
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PCGS MS 62
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Purchased on 5/13/2012.
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| France - Medal |
France
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Bronze 1820 Bramsen 1831 Ex: Ernst Justus Haeberlin
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PCGS PF 65
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FRANCE. 1820 AE Medal. PCGS SP65. By Barre. 50.6mm. 58.76gm. Winged Victory in quadriga over globe depicting Europe and Egypt / LES SOUSCRIPTEURS ASSOCIÉS POUR TRANSMETTRE A LA POSTÉRITÉ LES VICTOIRES ET CONQUÊTES DES FRANCAIS DE 1795 A 1815. ÉDITEUR C. L. F. PANCKOUCKE 1820. Legend in wreath of laurel and oak branches. Bramsen 1831; Slg. Julius 3685.
Struck for the subscribers to a work by C. L. F. Panckoucke, on the victories and conquests of Napoleon. Charles-Louis-Fleury Panckoucke, born on 26 Dec 1780 in Paris and died on 11 Jul 1844 in Meudon, was a French writer, printer, bookseller, and publisher. His most famous published work was that for which this medal was created, published in Paris in 1820.
Ex E. J. Haeberlin. Ernst Justus Haeberlin (born June 19, 1847 in Frankfurt, Germany, died December 5, 1925 ) was a lawyer and commercial councilor in Frankfurt am Main. However, Haeberlin became known primarily as a numismatist; In 1906 he was a co-founder of the Frankfurt Numismatic Society. His coin collection was dispersed after his death, with the Aes-Grave portion and other items entering the coin cabinet of the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin .
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| Great Britain - Mudie Medal |
Great Britain 1820
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Bronzed AE (copper) Medal 1820 BHM-777; Eimer-1058; Mudie-31
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PCGS PF 65
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Purchased from Atlas Numismatics on 4/8/2015.
Listed with a mintage of 260 pieces. Struck in 1820.
From Mudie J. An Historical and Critical Account of a Grand Series of National Medals. 1820, pp. 125-26:
OBVERSE: His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge
REVERSE: Entry of the English into Hanover, which is here allegorized by Britannia giving succour to the Hanoverian Horses.
Description from Atlas website:
GREAT BRITAIN. H. R. H. Duke of Cambridge. Mudie's National Series. 1814 Bronzed Copper Medal. PCGS SP65. 41mm. H.R.H. DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE. Three-quarters full bust facing left with WEBB F below bust's left shoulder / THE ENGLISH RE-ENTER HANOVER, MDCCCXIV . Lion resting at the feet of an allegory of Hanover, seated and feeding hay to a pair of horses. Below numerals, Mudie D. (left) BARRE F (right). Eimer-1058.
From the Numismatic Chronicle (1888, Volume 8; pp. 262-263).
This is one of Mudie's series of national medals. Adolphus Frederick, Duke of Cambridge, son of George III and Queen Charlotte, born 24 Feb., 1774, was in 1793 appointed colonel in the Hanoverian army. He served in the campaign of 1794-5, and in 1803 was appointed Colonel-in-Chief of the King's German legions, a force in British pay, and destined to relieve Hanover then menaced by the French armies. The Duke of Cambridge, however, soon transferred his command to Count Walmoden, and coming to England was charged with superintendence of a home district. In 1814, when the French were expelled from Hanover, the Duke again took command of the electorate, which under the Treaty of Vienna was elevated to the rank of a kingdom, the Duke being appointed Governor-General in 1816. He continued to discharge these important duties till the year 1837 when the death of William IV. placed Hanover under the rule of the next male heir, the Duke of Cumberland. The Duke afterwards took up his residence at Cambridge House, Piccadilly, where he died 8 July, 1850. He was very popular in this country, and for many years was regarded as emphatically the connecting link between the throne and the people.
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| Hannover - 3 Mariengroschen |
GERMANY - STATES - 2
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2GUL 1855 BAVARIA - MADONNA COLUMN
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NGC MS 63
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Purchased on 4/22/2012.
This is a 5-year design type coin, produced from 1816-1820.
Keeping track of monetary conversion in the German states can be somewhat complicated. The Hannoverian Thaler at the time this coin was minted was the standard of trade in the state. The Hannoverian Thaler was broken further into 36 Mariengroschen, and each Mariengroschen was further broken into 8 Pfennig. To complicate matters, the Hannoverian Thaler was only 3/4 of the Conventionsthaler, which was the standard of currency of the Holy Roman Empire. The Conventionsthaler was based on the even older standard of weight of the Cologne Mark at a rate of 10 Conventionsthalers equals one Cologne Mark (note that this "Mark" was a standard of weight -- not a currency per se -- defined in the late 1400s and equivalent to a modern day weight of 233.856 grams).
Some useful equivalencies relevant to this coin are thus:
1 Hannoverian Thaler = 3/4 Conventionsthaler = 36 Mariengroschen
1 Conventionsthaler = 48 Mariengroschen
1 "Mark" = 10 Conventionsthalers = 480 Mariengroschen
So, to make sense of all of this history helps to clarify what exactly this coin would have been worth in 1820. A denomination of 3 Mariengroschen, was equal to 1/16 of a Conventionsthaler, and equivalently 1/160 of a "Feine Mark". Thus, we make sense of the reverse inscription "160 Eine Feine Mark" or "160 per fine Mark" (remember, the horse is actually the reverse of this coin).
Using some modern-day standards, we can see that this coin should then contain 233.856 / 160 grams of silver. This calculation equates to 1.4616 grams. The coin total weight is 3.34 grams, of which from the above calculations 1.4616 grams should be silver (43.76%). The published specifications of the 1820 3 Mariengroschen coin are:
Diameter: 20mm
Weight: 3.34 grams
Fineness: 0.4370 Ag.
So, in summary, in the end it all works out pretty close to what the numbers say it should. I'm sure it's just a familiarity issue, but this kind of conversion makes me thankful for our currency system of the same period. At least for my brain, decimalization seems to be the way to go! The unified Germany of the 1870s did eventually move to a decimal system, and as they say, the rest is history.
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