Lutwyche's Manufactory was one of dozens of Birmingham traders who turned to privately struck copper tokens during the late 18th century, when Royal Mint production had so catastrophically failed to keep pace with demand that small change had effectively vanished from commerce. The Soho Mint — Boulton's operation — struck many of these pieces for local issuers under contract, lending them a quality that official copper of the period rarely matched.
Dalton & Hamer's reference 482 places this firmly within the densely populated Birmingham series, where distinguishing issuers often comes down to edge lettering and minor die differences catalogued by Batty.
Lutwyche's Manufactory was one of dozens of Birmingham traders who turned to privately struck copper tokens during the late 18th century, when Royal Mint production had so catastrophically failed to keep pace with demand that small change had effectively vanished from commerce. The Soho Mint — Boulton's operation — struck many of these pieces for local issuers under contract, lending them a quality that official copper of the period rarely matched.
Dalton & Hamer's reference 482 places this firmly within the densely populated Birmingham series, where distinguishing issuers often comes down to edge lettering and minor die differences catalogued by Batty.