The Bakers' Arms

Robert Hales issued this trade token worth a farthing for his business in Beech Lane (now Beech Street).

Boyne & Williamson (1889) reference London number 166; Obv inscription: ROBERT.HALES.AT.THE (around field, in Roman capitals) = The Bakers' Arms (in field); Rev inscription: IN.BEECH.LANE.59 (around field, in Roman capitals) Device = R.E.H. (triad of intials in Roman capitals, in field).

This depiction of the Bakers' Company arms on the token, suggest that Robert Hales may have been a baker. The arms of the Worshipful Company of Bakers are: Gules three Garbs Or on a chief barry wavy of six Argent and Azure two anchors Or cabled Gules over all issuant from a cloud proper radiated in chief Or a cubit arm descending therefrom vested Argent cuffed Sable the hand proper holding a balance (J. Bromley, The Armorial Bearings of the Guilds of London: a record of the heraldry of the surviving companies with historical notes; with...[illustrations] by Heather Child...(London, 1960). The anchors are often omitted as they are on this example.The arms of the Worshipful Company of Bakers' are: Gules three Garbs Or on a chief barry wavy of six Argent and Azure two anchors Or cabled Gules over all issuant from a cloud proper radiated in chief Or a cubit arm descending therefrom vested Argent cuffed Sable the hand proper holding a balance (J. Bromley, The Armorial Bearings of the Guilds of London: a record of the heraldry of the surviving companies with historical notes; with...[illustrations] by Heather Child...(London, 1960). The anchors are often omitted as they are on this example.The arms of the Worshipful Company of Bakers' are: Gules three Garbs Or on a chief barry wavy of six Argent and Azure two anchors Or cabled Gules over all issuant from a cloud proper radiated in chief Or a cubit arm descending therefrom vested Argent cuffed Sable the hand proper holding a balance (J. Bromley, The Armorial Bearings of the Guilds of London: a record of the heraldry of the surviving companies with historical notes; with...[illustrations] by Heather Child...(London, 1960). The anchors are often omitted as they are on this example. See also token number 6542 in the Sylloge of Coins of the British Isles, 59, The Norweb Collection: Tokens of the British Isles 1575-1750, Part VI - City of London.Beech Street is in the City of London ward of Cripplegate without.