Post-Medieval — Mid 17th century; 1648-1673
The Bird and Wheatsheaf ?
Richard Rich issued this trade token, worth a half penny, for his business in Little Drury Lane, Middlesex.
Boyne & Williamson (1889) reference London number 880; Obv inscription: RICHARD.RICH.IN.LITEL (around field, in Roman capitals) Device = A bird perched on a sheaf of corn and '2' on either side (in field); Rev inscription: DRVRY. LANE. CHANGER (around field, in Roman capitals) Device = OF / FART / HING / S (in four lines of Roman capitals, in field).
Richard Rich was a changer of farthings; if you were in possession of trade tokens, that were from a distance away, you could take them to Richard Rich, who would exchange them for you, see Berry, G., Seventeenth Century England: Traders and their tokens (London, 1988), pg. 5. See also token number 8767 in the Sylloge of Coins of the British Isles, 62, The Norweb Collection: Tokens of the British Isles 1575-1750, Part VIII - Middlesex and Uncertain Pieces. Little Drury Lane, ran between Drury Lane and the Strand, in the City of Westminster; it was previously part of Middlesex.
- Category:
- Post-Medieval
- Object ID:
- 96.66/414
- Object name:
- The Bird and Wheatsheaf ?
- Object type:
- Artist/Maker:
- Rich, Richard
- Related people:
- Related events:
- Related places:
Middlesex; Little Drury Lane, City of Westminster, London [City of Westminster], Camden, City of Westminster
- Production date:
- mid 17th century; 1648-1673
- Material:
copper alloy
- Measurements/duration:
- DM 19 mm, WT 1.78 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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