Great Britain - 1794

½ Penny Token

(D & H 26 - Sussex, Hastings)
Obverse - Great Britain - 1794 Reverse - Great Britain - 1794
Obverse - A sloop at sea under canvas, with crossed oak sprigs beneath.
Legend - SUCCESS & SAFETY ATTEND THE ENDEAVOUR with a quatrefoil ornament.
Reverse -

Arms of the town of Hastings. (Per pale gules and azure, a lion passant gardant between two demi-lions passant gardant conjoined to as many hulls of ships in pale argent.) The shield between crossed palm and laurel branches. A knotted suspending ribbon being shown above the shield.
Legend: HASTINGS HALFPENNY. with 1794 below.
Edge: PAYABLE BY JAMES TEBAYS HASTINGS remainder diamond shaped dots (mascles) and crosses.
Diesinker, Wyon; manufacturer, Lutwyche. Three cwts. struck. Common. There are two trifling die differences, D&H 24, 26.
 

Comments. James Tebay was an ironmonger, appraiser, and auctioneer in Hastings; whether he also owned a "hoy," as the vessel on the obverse was called, is not known. It is possible that he did, and that he invoked success for her in her coastal trading in the legend.
 
   The reverse presents the Arms of the town, said to have been incorporated by James II. Hastings is the chief of the Cinque Ports, or "Five Havens" and was once of considerable commercial importance, now reduced through the loss of its harbour. The arms on the token are taken from those engraved on the town Seal of the New Corporation. The ancient Seal, with an obverse and reverse, bore on one side a ship and on the other St. Michael slaying the Dragon.
Commercial Coins 1787-1804., pp. 185-186
D & H 26 - Sussex, Hastings.
O and R: A very close imitation of preceding.
E:
A. 24 Bis.
Plain (not in collar).