Horses
USA - Delaware State Quarter


Obverse
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Reverse
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Coin Details

  

Set Details
Coin Description: BRASS 1837 G.BRIT. BHM-1785 DUKE OF CUMBERLAND THRONE OF HANNOVER
Grade: NGC MEDAL MS 62
Owner: brg5658
 
Set Category: Thematic & Topical Coins
Set Name: Horses
Slot Name: USA - Delaware State Quarter
Research: Currently not available

Owner's Description

Purchased on 1/25/2013. The "To Hanover" tokens were used primarily as game counter pieces and as political tokens,but some of these are also thought to have seen some circulation as tokens of trade. The history of these tokens is quite interesting. When Queen Anne died in 1714, there was no clear heir to the British throne. After tracing back through the family, the identified heir was determined to be George Louis, the great-grandson of James I, and King of the German State of Hanover. George added to his title of King of Hanover that of "George I, King of England". Subsequently, the male successors of George I also maintained both titles -- this included George II, George III, George IV, and William IV. Upon the death of King William IV, Queen Victoria inherited the throne of the United Kingdom just a few weeks after her 18th birthday in mid 1837. However, Queen Victoria was forbidden by Salic law to be the heir to the title in Hanover (only male heirs were allowed to inherit the Hanoverian crown). The Hanoverian title, which had been concurrently held by kings of the United Kingdom since 1714, passed to the next male heir; namely, Ernest Augustus, the Duke of Cumberland. The Duke of Cumberland was unpopular in England, and there was a rumor that the scars on his face had been caused by his Corsican servant in self-defense, before the Duke murdered him (in reality, the scars were caused by a military battle injury). The Duke is said to have committed numerous crimes, and to make things worse, he was also opposed to reforms put forth by parliament allowing for the emancipation of Roman Catholics in England. Worst of all, he had also shown himself to be greedy, having clambered for the British throne and opposed the succession of the much beloved Victoria. In an outward expression of the public's pleasure to see the Duke's departure, "TO HANOVER" tokens were struck at various times over the next many years as a satirical gesture and for use as card players' counters or gaming tokens. The mounted figure on the reverse is the crowned Duke, who in most versions of the token is shown with the face of a monkey. The tokens were designed to mimic the sovereigns of the same period, with the mounted Duke Cumberland bearing resemblance to the common image of Saint George slaying the Dragon.

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