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Sedgley Tokens & Medallions

The photographs of these tokens were very kindly donated by Andy Foster of Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire.

 

Queen Victoria Jubilee Medallion 1887

Victoria Token obverse Victoria Token reverse
"In commemeration of Jubliee reign"
Victoria Reg.
1837-1887		 "By me kings reign,
and princess decree justice"

The words on the reverse of the medallion are interesting. They are a quote from the Bible (Proverbs Chapter 8, verse 15) but seem to have been modified to suit Queen Victoria. It should read "By me kings reign, and PRINCES decree justice" not "PRINCESS"

All Saints c.1837
An almost identical view of All Saints Church c.1837

King George VI Coronation Medallion 1937

George VI Token obverse George VI Token reverse
H.M King George VI
& H.M. Queen Elizabeth

Sedgley Coronation Celebrations
May 12th 1937
The Urban District Council of Sedgley
(Thanks to Dorothy Aitcheson for this item)

Pear Tree Inn token 1

Pear Tree 1 obverse Pear Tree 1 Token reverse
Robinson
Pear Tree Inn
Gornal Wood		 3 pence

Pear Tree Inn token 2

Pear Tree Token 2 obverse Pear Tree Token 2 Token reverse
Isaac Jones
Pear Tree Inn
Gornal Wood		 1½ pence

Pear Tree Inn token 3

Pear Tree Token 3 obverse Pear Tree Token 3 Token reverse
Isaac Jones
Pear Tree Inn
Gornal Wood		 1 pence ?

Bricklayers Arms token

Bricklayers Token obverse Bricklayers Token reverse
R. Bennett
Bricklayers Arms
Upper Gornal		 6 pence
R(euben) Bennett was the original Owner/Landlord of the Bricklayer's Arms

Talbot Inn, Cinderhill

Talbot Inn Token obverse Talbot Inn Token reverse
R. Marsh
Talbot Inn
Cinderhill 		3 pence

Pig & Whistle Token

Talbot Inn Token obverse

Pig & Whistle Token
Landlord : William Hill
c. 1909
(Thanks to Dorothy Aitcheson for this item)

Sedgley Weightlifting Club Badge

Talbot Inn Token obverse

Sedgley Weightlifting Club
(Thanks to Dorothy Aitcheson for this item)

 

 

Tokens (sometimes called checks) were used as defacto money. Workers were often paid in tokens rather than coins thus forcing them to buy goods from particular shops/pubs, frequently owned by their employers. These shops were know as 'Tommy' or 'Truck' shops"

Landlords also used the tokens instead of real coins as change thus forcing the recipient to spend the tokens in the same pub.

Due to the rapid industrial growth, proper coins were also in short supply around this time. Despite calls from many quarters for the Royal Mint to produce more copper coins the British government was reluctant to act. As a result the captains of Britain’s Industrial Revolution were forced to enter into contracts with private mints (most of which were located in Birmingham) to produce the coinage that they so desperately needed.

Note! These tokens are often called "Conder Tokens" nowadays...

James Conder was a linen draper in Tavern Street, Ipswich, Suffolk. He circulated a halfpenny token in 1794 bearing the town's market cross on the obverse, his name and business on the reverse. Kempson of Birmingham struck the piece, and it is fairly common. James Conder was an ardent collector of the tokens being issued all around him. In 1798, he produced a book on the subject, called "An Arrangement of Provincial Coins, Tokens, and Medalets Issued in Great Britain, Ireland, and the Colonies"

Bricklayers Arms token photos courtesy of Mike Hammond

Bricklayers Arms Pub page

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