Post-Medieval — Mid 17th century; 1648-1673
The Mermaid
This trade token, worth a half penny, was issued at the Mermaid tavern, Cheapside by a seller of haberdashery and small wares.
Boyne & Williamson (1889) reference London number 595; Obv inscription: AT. YE. MAREMADE. TWIXT. MILK. STRE. WOOD. STR (around field, in Roman capitals, in field) Device = A mermaid (in field); Rev inscription: HABERDASHER. SMALL. WARES. IN. CHEPSIDE (around field, in Roman capitals) Device = W.R. with a merchant's mark. (initials in Roman capitals, in field).
The Mermaid tavern in Bread Street, Friday Street and Cheapside as marked on various trade tokens are all the same establishment, having entrances on all streets. See also J. H. Burn, A Descriptive Catalogue of the London Traders, Tavern, and Coffee-house Tokens current in the Seventeenth Century, presented to the Corporation Library by Henry Benjamin Hanbury Beaufoy, 2nd ed. (London, 1855), no. 310. Cheapside lies in Cheap Ward, Cordwainer Ward, Cripplegate Ward, the ward of Farringdon Within and Bread Street Ward, in the City of London.
- Category:
- Post-Medieval
- Object ID:
- NN16673
- Object name:
- The Mermaid
- Object type:
- Artist/Maker:
- W.R.
- Related people:
- Related events:
- Related places:
Cheapside, Cheap Ward & Cordwainer Ward & Cripplegate Ward & ward of Farringdon Within & Bread Street Ward, City of London, London [City of London], City of London
- Production date:
- mid 17th century; 1648-1673
- Material:
copper alloy
- Measurements/duration:
- DM 19 mm, WT 3.09 g
- Part of:
- —
- On display:
- —
- Record quality:
- 80%
- Part of this object:
- —
- Owner Status & Credit:
Permanent collection
- Copyright holder:
digital image © London Museum
- Image credit:
- —
- Creative commons usage:
- —
- License this image:
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