Bath Token 1794

[bububoy]

A recent addition. Though i don't collect tokens, I liked this token for the details on the arrow fletchings and the hair lock ! Any idea as to what this token was used for and was this actually issued in 1794?
Weight-4.63g, 24mm

mahe

[Figleaf]

Read about the legend of Bladud here. This is DH Somerset 115. It is part of a long series of farthings (like yours) and mostly halfpennies dated around 1794. They were used as official coppers, as there were none available or issued. This was due to a failed experiment of striking full value copper coins that when wrong due to a strong rise of the price of copper owing to the Napoleonic wars.

Peter

[bububoy]

Intresting read, bath is named after its bath !! i did not know that as well ...thanks for sharing.
It says "legendary king", with no historical evidence whatsoever ! The copper shortage you mentioned i guess only impacted only europe ? i ask this because the british empire had copper coins in abundance in their east india company and the dutch ruling in Indonesia imported the copper blanks from Japan !

mahe

[Figleaf]

It affected only Britain, due to its full value copper coins policy. Copper for the coins of the Asian colonies was no longer available also, but remember that the EIC was a private enterprise. It could strike coins in Asia and use Asian copper (mostly coming from Burma and Japan).

Peter

[bububoy]

thanks peter !! you are a knowledge bank and it is always a pleasure to receive these small 'deposits' by means of these tit-bits of history.

mahe

[malj1]

See here in the token section for a little more information on this token.