Owner Comments:
Middlesex London and Westminster Series DH #102
Obverse: The Haberdashers' Hall with HABERDASHERS HALL above in two lines, Ex: BUILT . 1671.
Reverse: The Arms of London and Westminster impaled and surmounted by a mural crown. Edged with a border of small quatrefoils LONDON AND WESTMINSTER PENNY 1797
Edge: I PROMISE TO PAY ON DEMAND THE BEARER ONE PENNY X
Diesinker: Benjamin Jacobs
Manufacturer: Thomas Prattent
Weight: 18.94g
Rarity: Rare
The Worshipful Company of Haberdashers are one of the original 12 great Livery Companies. They were originally responsible for the regulation of silk and velvet merchants, then hatmakers. The Company now serves as a educational and charitable organization while maintaining links with its heritage by giving awards for fashion education.
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 133
Bt: Baldwin’s