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England - 1793

Promissory Halfpenny

Obverse
Obverse:
A mounted dragoon with drawn sword.
Legend:
PETERSFIELD
Size:
28 mm.
Edge:
EAMES HOLLAND & ANDREWS PETERSFIELD -x-
Reverse
Reverse:
A stork on a tuft of marshy grass.
Legend:
PROMISSORY HALFPENNY. 1793

Vern's Comments:

Edge: (1) Engrailed.
  (2) Less commonly, EAMES HOLLAND & ANDREWS PETERSFIELD -x-


Diesinker, Wyon; manufacturer, Kempson. Ten cwts. struck. Common.

 
Comments. This token served three tradesmen, all with businesses in Petersfield. As late as 1860 there was a Henry Eames, watchmaker, in the town. The names of Holland and Andrews seem to have disappeared.
 
   Petersfield is an old market town midway between Winchester and Portsmouth. It was incorporated by Queen Elizabeth I and began to send members to Parliament during the reign of Edward I. The right of election was restricted to the freeholders of lands, or old dwelling houses, or shambles, built upon ancient foundations within the borough. At the time the token was issued all this property belonged to one man and therefore the nomination of Members of Parliament rested entirely with him.
 
   In the days of coaching and posting Petersfield derived much of its wealth from travellers, as the town lay on the highroad from Portsmouth to London.
Commercial Coins 1787-1804., pp. 50-51
 
This one of the type 2 edge tokens.

England — Hampshire

D & H 48 — Petersfield

Bell Pg: 50-51
O:    The gender of the horse is distinguishable.
A. 28
R:    Very similar, the ground different.
E:    EAMES HOLLAND & ANDREWS PETERSFIELD -x-