button to main menu  Gents Mag 1863 part 1 p.571

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Gentleman's Magazine 1863 part 1 p.571

  trade token
  Appleby-in-Westmorland

Trade Token, Appleby


APPLEBY TOKEN.

WE copy the following from the "Kendal Mercury" of March 28, 1863, conceiving it of interest, as tending to settle a question of numismatics upon which different opinions have been entertained.
"In taking down the old dwellings on the south side of Allhallows'-lane, Kendal, consequent on the widening of that street, the workmen turned up a small brass token of the seventeenth century, issued at Appleby, in Westmoreland, in the year 1669.
"Mr. Brockett, in his 'Tradesmen's Tokens (of the seventeenth century) issued in the counties of Cumberland and Westmoreland,' 1853, and republished in the GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE for May of that year, has omitted any notice of this specimen; it is however engraved and described in the latter publication for March, 1792, p.209, without, we believe, being assigned to any county. In Mr. Boyne's elaborate work, 'Tokens issued in the Seventeenth Century in England, Wales, and Ireland,' 1858, and also in Mr. North's 'Leicestershire Tokens.' 1857, it is given, but in both dubiously appropriated to Appleby in Leicestershire.
"We think, however, there can be no question that we are right in claiming this token for our Appleby, from the fact of its occasional - though it must be admitted rare - occurence in this part of the country, and also that William Smith (doubtless the issuer of the token now under consideration) was Mayor of Appleby, in this county, in the years 1667 and 1673.
"If any of our Appleby correspondents could identify the pigeon chosen for his obverse by the William Smith of the token as having any reference or allusion to the trade or occupation of their Mayor of that name, it might further tend to confirm our assumption, and finally decide the question of this token's parentage.
"The token just discovered is of brass, of the farthing size, and is in excellent preservation. It contains on the
"Obverse - WILLIAM SMITH* = A pigeon pecking.
"Reverse - IN-APPLEBYE-1669* = .*. / W S. / .*.
And is now in the possession of John Hudson, Esq., of Larch How.
"We believe this to be the first time the above token has been accurately delineated, as in all the descriptions we have met with the name of the town is spelled APPLEBIE, instead of APPLEBYE.
Kendal, March 25, 1863.
"K.K."
button see 1792 p.224
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