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England - 1794

For the Convenience of Society

Obverse:

Arms of the City of Chichester. (Argent, guttée de poix; on a chief indented gules, a lion passant gardant or.) [The tincture is not shown on token.] The shield is encircled by oak branches bearing acorns.

Legend:

FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF SOCIETY and an ornamental stop.

Edge:

PAYABLE AT JOHN FOLLER'S NORTHIAM .X.

Reverse:

The cypher J F in script capitals, with a sprig after the latter initial: surmounted by a garb as a Crest; and with 1794 beneath.

Legend:

HALFPENNY TOKEN PAYABLE AT.

Vern's Comments:

Diesinker, Wyon; manufacturer, Lutwyche. Three cwts. struck. There are strange errors in this token for so fine an artist. The cypher is too far to the left: the J runs into the lettering of the legend: the F is so far from the lettering that the gap is filled with a meaningless sprig: this in turn runs into the figure 4 of the date: the period after AT is incorrectly placed: and the edge inscription repeats PAYABLE AT which is already engraved on the reverse.

Comments. The cypher and crest, a garb or, are those of the issuer, John Foller. Northiam is a small parish about eight miles north west from Rye in the hundred of Staple and rape of Hastings.

The obverse design is similar to the shield of arms borne on the City Seal of Chichester without the tower; see Sussex No.6.

Commercial Coins 1787-1804., p. 187-188

England — Sussex

D & H 34 — Northiam

Bell Pg: 187-188

O: Arms between oak branches. FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF SOCIETY *

A. 31

R: A cypher I F; crest a wheatsheaf. HALFPENNY TOKEN PAYABLE AT . 1794.

E: PAYABLE AT JOHN FOLLER'S NORTHIAM .X.