ALTHOVGH BVT BRASS
YET LET ME PASS.
On one of Ann Greene, of Skipton, I WILL EXCHAING MY PENY. Others refer to the use and benefit of tokens alike to the poor and to the traders. Thus on one of Andover, on one side we have, FOR YE POORE’S BENEFIT, and on the other, HELP O’ ANDEVER, 1666; on one of Winchcombe, REMEMBER THE POORE; on one of Croyland, THE POORE’S HALFE PENY OF CROYLAND, 1670; Great Yarmouth, FOR THE VSE OF THE POORE; Chard, THE BVRROVGH OF CHARD MADE BY YE PORTREEVE FOR YE POORE; Southwold, FOR THE POORES ADVANTAG; Tamworth, FOR CHANGE AND CHARITIE; Worcester, FOR NECESSARIE CHAING; and so on in very great variety. They were often issued by the Mayor, the Portreeve, the Overseers, the Chamberlain, or other official for public convenience.
The best, indeed only worthy, book on the general subject of seventeenth century tokens is Boyne’s, published in 1858, in which close upon ten thousand examples are carefully and minutely described.
Of the more modern tokens—those so abundantly issued during the thirty years preceding 1818—and of the silver tokens of the latter part of that period which, including the Bank Tokens, number some four hundred varieties, I purposely abstain in this little work from giving any particulars.
Of those of silver and gold, Boyne’s “Silver Tokens of Great Britain and Ireland,” etc., published in 1866, is the best and most comprehensive list that has been prepared. Of those of copper, Batty’s “Descriptive Catalogue,” in which some twenty thousand varieties are minutely described, is as exhaustive a list as could well be prepared.