Owner Comments:
Wiltshire Salisbury DH #21
Obverse: View of the front of a Gothic Cathedral CATHEDRAL CHRUCH Ex: SARUM
Reverse: The Arms, Crest, Supporters, Crest, and Motto of the Grocers' Company FINE TEAS & C. 1796
Edge: PAYABLE AT I & T SHARPES SALISBURY - X -
Diesinker: Thomas Wyon
Manufacturer: Peter Kempson
Issuer: John and Thomas Sharpe
Weight: 7.93g
Rarity: Common
John and Thomas Sharpe were grocers and tea dealers in Salisbury. In addition, John was a tallow chandler and soap maker.
Construction of Salisbury Cathedral was finished in 1258 and its spire is the tallest church spire in England. It is considered to be one of the finest examples of Early English Gothic architecture and is a Grade 1 listed Cathedral. It contains a clock that is one of the oldest working examples in the world and has one of the four surviving original copies of the Magna Carta.
This is one of the few tokens that Dalton & Hamer got the rarity completely wrong – the token is listed as extremely rare while the 2 edge varieties are listed as common. This one is common and the 2 edge varieties are extremely rare, likely a typo.
Atkins: Wiltshire 20
Bt. Bill McKivor