Anglesey

1787 Penny Anglesey Mines Conder Token  D&H 76

EDGE: ON DEMAND IN LONDON LIVERPOOL & ANGLESEY

1789 Halfpenny Anglesey Mines Conder Token  D&H 372

EDGE: PAYABLE IN ANGLESEY LONDON OR LIVERPOOL . x .

1791 Halfpenny Anglesey Mines Conder Token  D&H 398

EDGE: “PAYABLE x IN x LONDON x OR x ANGLESEY x”

In 1768, one of the largest veins of copper in the world was found at Parys Mountain on the island of Anglesey in the north-west of Wales. In 1785, Thomas Williams (the “Copper King”), acting as a representative of the Parys Mine Company, met with the master of the British mint to propose that regal copper coins be struck using a counterfeit-deterrent method of edge lettering, and offering this technology to the mint free of charge. The stipulation was that the supply of the copper for these new coins would come from the Parys Mine Company. The British mint master did not entertain the offer. By 1786, two-thirds of the coins in circulation in Britain were counterfeit, and the Royal Mint responded by shutting itself down, worsening the situation. Few of the silver coins being passed were genuine. Even the copper coins were melted down and replaced with lightweight fakes. The Royal Mint struck no copper coins for 48 years, from 1773 until 1821. On the rare occasions when the Royal Mint did strike coins, they were relatively crude, with quality control non-existent. In February 1787 Williams oversaw the minting of the first of many privately issued copper tokens, some being used to pay workers at the Parys Mine Company. These first tokens bore the image of a hooded Druid, and within two months time were receiving attention in London as a possible solution to the shortage of small denomination coin. Not long after the appearance of the Druid tokens, other cities, businesses, and proprietors would follow suit and begin designing and minting their own small denomination coinage.

Glamorganshire

Glamorgan

1795 Halfpenny Glamorgan Conder Token

Obverse: Bust to left, JESTYN . AP . OWRBAN . TYWYSOG . MORGANWG  – – – 1091 – – –

Reverse: Britannia seated with spear, crown  and shield, a pedestal behind her entwined with laurel, Y . BRENHIN . AR . GYFRAITH. Ex. 1795

Edge: GLAMORGAN HALFPENNY in raised letters, two leaves after

D&H Glamorganshire No. 3

Swansea

1796 Halfpenny Glamorganshire Swansea Token

Obverse: View of a castle. SWANSEA HALFPENNY. 1 7 9 6

Reverse: A key. JOHN VOSS DRAPER &C.

Edge: PAYABLE ON DEMAND. The remainder engrailed.

D&H Glamorganshire No. 4 A. 3

North Wales

1793 Halfpenny North Wales Conder Token

Obverse: A Druid’s head, twenty-nine acorns, in wreath, there is a sprig departing from the main branch both in front and behind bust, and there are two acorns just below the junction at the back of
bust.

Reverse: A cypher RNG, 1793. NORTH WALES HALFPENNY

Edge: CURRENT EVERY WHERE

D&H North Wales No. 1d A. 1d

1793 Halfpenny North Wales Conder Token

Obverse: A Druid’s head, twenty-nine acorns, in wreath, there is a sprig departing from the main branch both in front and behind bust, and there are two acorns just below the junction at the back of
bust.

Reverse: A cypher RNG, 1793. NORTH WALES HALFPENNY

Edge: Plain (not in collar)

D&H North Wales No. 1f A. 1f

1793 Halfpenny North Wales Conder Token

Obverse: A Druid’s head, twenty-nine acorns, in wreath, there is a sprig departing from the main branch both in front and behind bust, and there are two acorns just below the junction at the back of
bust.

Reverse: A cypher RNG, 1793. NORTH WALES HALFPENNY. The first stroke of R projects farther, almost reaching under 7.

Edge: PAYABLE IN LONDON BRISTOL & LANCASTER — X  —

D&H North Wales No. 2c A. 2b

1795 Halfpenny North Wales Conder Token

Obverse: A laureated bust to right, sprigs of oak below, PRO BONO PUBLICO.

Reverse: A harp between sprigs of oak, the date 1794 above, NORTH WALES HALFPENNY.

Edge: Plain

D&H North Wales No. 12 A. 11

1793 Farthing North Wales Conder Token

Obverse: A laureated bust to right, NORTH WALES FARTHING. A triangular stop after legend.

Reverse: The Prince of Wales crest

Edge: Plain

D&H North Wales No. 15a A. 14a

Pembrokeshire

1793 Farthing Pembrokeshire St Davids Conder Token

Obverse: Laureated bust to right, sprigs of leaves and a star under, MEDALLION OF ST. DAVID

Reverse: The Prince of Wales’ crest on a shield, between sprigs of oak. PRO BONO PUBLICO 1 7 9 3 .

Edge: Plain

D&H Pembrokeshire No. 1

South Wales

1793 Farthing South Wales Conder Token

Obverse: A laureate bust to right. SOUTH WALES FARTHING .

Reverse: The Prince of Wales’ crest on a shield, between sprigs of oak. PRO BONO PUBLICO 1 7 9 3 .

Edge: Plain

D&H South Wales No. 27a A. 24a

1793 Farthing South Wales Conder Token

Obverse: A laureate bust to right. SOUTH WALES FARTHING .

Reverse: A cornucopia and olive branch. FARTHING. 1 7 9 3 .

Edge: Plain

D&H South Wales No. 35 A. 31

Rated as R (rare) in D&H