1/2 Penny Sussex - Brightelmstone / W. Mighells

Brightelmstone — the town now known as Brighton — was a minor fishing settlement until the Prince of Wales began visiting in the 1780s, after which it expanded faster than the Royal Mint could supply adequate small change. Tradesmen like W. Mighells issued copper tokens to fill the gap, a practice Parliament had largely tolerated since official halfpennies had become scarce and heavily counterfeited through the mid-century.

Dalton & Hamer's listing as DH#12 places this among the documented Sussex series, though Mighells remains obscure beyond the token itself.