Owner Comments:
Middlesex London and Westminster Series DH #83
Obverse: A view of Kings Theatre, Haymarket KINGS THEATRE Ex: BT. 1794 HAYMARKET in two lines
Reverse: The Arms of the city of London and Westminster between crossed palm and laurel branches, LONDON AND WESTMINSTER PENNY with 1797 above the shield
Edge: I PROMISE TO PAY ON DEMAND THE BEARER ONE PENNY X
Diesinker: Benjamin Jacobs
Manufacturer: Thomas Prattent
Rarity: Rare
The Italian Opera House was opened in the Haymarket in April, 1705 and was the first opera house in London. The opera house was so poorly supported that King George I contributed £1,000 a year in support. The theatre then changed its name to The King's Opera House. In 1789 the opera house was burned down, in 1790 the Duke of Buckingham laid the foundation stone of a new King's Theatre on the same site. In December 1867 the theatre was again totally destroyed by fire.
Thomas Prattent was a draftsman, engraver, printer and print seller in London. He was the co-author with William Denton of the “The Virtuoso’s Companion and Coin Collector’s Guide” and issued his own tokens. This is one from his series of ‘London and Westminster Pennies', 33 tokens that featured 32 well known London buildings - mainly Guild-halls, Hospitals and Palaces. He issued them in quite small numbers - plus the dies that James engraved were quite brittle and many broke before the required number was struck. It is possible that he made this series of pennies for the London coin dealer Matthew Denton. The coins were primarily sold to collectors but in these times of desperate need for copper change they often got into circulation alongside the regal copper and other genuine tradesmen's tokens.
Atkins: Middlesex 114
Dix Noonan Webb Sale, 14 June 2017