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England - 1794

Masonic halfpenny

Obverse:

The Freemasons' Arms.

Legend:

24 NOV. 1790 PRINCE OF WALES ELECTED G M.

Size:

29.6 mm.

Edge:

MASONIC TOKEN I SCETCHLEY FECIT 1794 . + • + • + •

Reverse:

A cupid and Masonic emblems within a triangle. On the lines of the triangle: WISDOM STRENGTH & BEAUTY

Legend:

SIT LUX ET LUX FUIT.

Marvin:

62e. Prince of Wales Masonic Halfpenny Token.
Obverse, A shield bearing on a field gules a chevron between three castles argent ; on the chevron a pair of compasses extended. Crest, a dove proper on a sphere. Supporters, two beavers proper. Motto, on a ribbon beneath the shield, AMOR, HONOR ET JUSTITIA. Legend, 24 NOV. 1790 PRINCE OF WALES ELECTED ÷ This was doubtless intended to represent the Arms of the Society of Freemasons, as used by the Grand Lodge of England before the union, which, as given by Burke, differ from the above in having the field sable, and o motto.
Reverse, A triangle, within which is an angel, resting his left hand upon a plumb, and pointing with his right to the letter G, within the upper angle, from which issue rays ; behind the angel are clouds ; in the lower corners of the triangle are the square and compasses on the right, and a book on the left ; at his feet a gavel, trowel, &c. ; around the sides of the triangle, WISDOM STRENGTH & BEAUTY. Legend, SIT LUX ET LUX FUIT. On the edge, sunken, * MASONIC TOKEN I SKETCHLY FECIT 1794 Copper. Size 18.

There are a great number of varieties of this token, the dies differing principally in the form of the clouds or the rays on the reverse, or the position of the letters or the dots after them on both obverse and reverse. The lettering of the inscription on the edge also varies greatly. The following are mentioned in "Batty's Catalogue of the Copper Coinage of Great Britain, Ireland &c."

(a.) HALFPENNY PAYABLE AT THE BLACK HORSE, TOWER HILL. Batty³⁶ gives a number of varieties with this edge, more or less imperfectly struck ; in some cases several letters are wanting.
(b.) PAYABLE AT LONDON — the remainder of the edge being filled with alternate crosses and dots.
(c.) PAYABLE AT LONDON OR DUBLIN This variety is also found with more or less of the letters omitted by carelessness in striking.
(d.) PAYABLE AT PARKER'S OLD BIRMINGHAM WAREHOUSE.
(e.) MASONIC TOKEN. TOKEN I. SCETCHLEY FUCIT. 1794. (The name and fecit spelled incorrectly.)
(f.) MASONIC TOKEN. I. SKETCHLEY R. A. & P. G. S. BIRMINGHAM FECIT.
(g.) MASONIC TOKEN BROTHER SKETCHLEY, BIRMINGHAM FECIT.
(h.) MASONIC HALFPENNY TOKEN, MDCCXCIV.

Batty also mentions several varieties, similar to (e.) having blunders in the spelling of the words on the edge, as Maconic, Scritchley, &c., which we have not thought necessary to particularize. Both obverse and reverse dies have been muled extensively, as will be seen from the following numbers.

³⁶ See 1019 to 1023, Halfpenny Tokens in his work on the Copper Coinage of Great Britain.

England — Middlesex

D & H 372a — Masonic

O: Similar to preceding, but the bodies of the supporters are not ribbed, and there is a comma after

A. 264a

R: R and E: The same as No. 369.

E: MASONIC TOKEN I SCETCHLEY FECIT 1794 . + • + • + •

Tracing back:
O: The Freemasons' Arms, &c. 24 NOV. 1790 PRINCE OF WALES ELECTED G M.
R: A cupid and Masonic emblems within a triangle. WISDOM STRENGTH & BEAUTY. The rays, which are all composed of lines, descend to the ground, and there is a period after "BEAUTY" and after "FUIT." SIT LUX ET LUX FUIT.

Masonic halfpenny