Plymouth Mental Hospital

[Henk]

I was shown the three tokens illustrated. All three are the same diameter, 26 mm. They are made from Brass. I found the following information:
The institute was started as the Plymouth Borough Asylum (1891 - 1918) (aka Blackadon Asylum). The name then was Plymouth Mental Hospital (1918 - 1947). After that it was known as Moorhaven Hospital which closed in 1993.

So the tokens date from 1918 - 1947. What were they used for (rewards for the patients perhaps) When were they issued and do other values exist? I would be interested in further information!

[Figleaf]

Interesting set! Similar tokens were used by Dutch mental hospitals. Their purpose was to make sure that a patient who escaped would be instantly penniless, because the tokens could not be used outside the hospital and would arouse suspicion when offered. Think of them as akin to prison and prisoners of war tokens.

Peter

[malj1]

We came to a similar conclusion with Klosterneuburg a "State Lunatic Asylum" in Lower Austria.