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1/2 Penny Warwickshire - Wilkinson / Harp
| Issuer | John Wilkinson (Ironmaster) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1792 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | 27 mm |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | A seated female allegorical figure, draped, positioned to the left and holding a harp, with the circular legend surrounding the central device. The inscription INCORPORATED BY ACT OF PARLIAMENT 1792 runs around the periphery of the field. A notable die variety is identified by the figure's head touching the letter C in the legend. The composition references the incorporation of a concern by Parliamentary authority in 1792. |
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| Reverse lettering | INCORPORATED BY ACT OF PARLIAMENT 1792 |
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| Additional information |
John Wilkinson issued his own copper tokens because he needed small change to pay his ironworkers — the Royal Mint's chronic underproduction of regal copper throughout the 1780s had left industrial employers across the Midlands unable to make payroll in small denominations. Wilkinson's tokens circulated far beyond his own workforce and were accepted across Shropshire, Staffordshire, and into Wales, effectively functioning as a regional currency.
The DH#467 designation places this within James Conder's catalogued series of 18th-century provincial tokens, the broader collecting category that bears his name. Atkins #308 cross-reference confirms the Harp reverse variety specifically.