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1/2 Penny Middlesex - London / W. Waterhouse
| Issuer | W. Waterhouse |
|---|---|
| Year | 1798-1800 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1/2 Penny (1⁄480) |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | A two-necked swan displayed in profile, resting upon water, occupying the central field. The swan's two gracefully curved necks and heads form a symmetrical heraldic device, a traditional emblem associated with the Swan with Two Necks inn sign. The inscription 'PAYABLE AT THE MAIL COACH OFFICE' arcs around the upper periphery, while 'LAD-LANE LONDON' appears in two lines across the lower field, with the issuer's initials 'W.W' below. The coin is bordered by a raised beaded rim. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | PAYABLE AT THE MAIL COACH OFFICE LAD-LANE LONDON W.W |
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| Additional information |
Waterhouse operated as a warehouse and wholesale supplier in London during the late 1790s, a period when the near-total collapse of official small-denomination coinage forced tradesmen across England to commission their own copper tokens simply to make change. The Middlesex series is among the most densely populated of all county token issues — hundreds of merchants entered the market simultaneously, and Withers 840 sits in a crowded field.
Davis 64 cross-referencing confirms this as a recognized variety rather than an obscure die muling, which matters when distinguishing genuine merchant issues from the speculative tokens struck purely for collector sale, a rampant practice by 1798.