Warwickshire, Birmingham DH 474, Counterfeit listed in D&H.

[Larry]

Here's another 'new' old Conder Token. This one, in this condition, may be the Finest Known, due to its condition. This is Warwickshire, Wilkinson DH 474. It's in Choice EF condition.

It's a counterfeit listed in Dalton & Hamer, and rare in this condition with some mint red remaining. Its grade is only Choice EF, but other examples show more wear. Plus, the dealer said it is the only one he has ever seen with mint red remaining. Though the lettering on the obverse is mostly off the edge, I can still see that his last name was misspelled and should read Wilkison, omitting an 'n.' It has a plain but rounded edge.

D&H mentions that this variety was struck on a smaller flan, which is evident upon examination.

Since no Conder Tokens were struck by the government, at least on a semi-official basis, all were struck by private concerns, so a counterfeit was no less 'official' than any other token, and I can't be sure that imitating Conder Tokens was even a crime.

But obviously imitations were often of lesser materials, but I'm sure some were of good materials. On the reverse, I believe her face was never even there, or was weakly struck. The light wear elsewhere would seem to verify that. I would imagine that many counterfeit dies were produced by 'artisans' who had worked for other die sinkers, or in the striking process for another employer. ; )









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[BCNumismatics]

Larry,
  That's one very nice coin that you've got these.

Contemporary counterfeits are legitimately part of the series,as they circulated as coins along with the original ones.I know that this was definitely the case with the Canadian currency token issues.

In this case,it is also a mule,as the reverse is that of the Charles Roe 1/2d. from Macclesfield muled with the John Wilkinson obverse.

There was an unscrupulous die sinker operating out of London in the first half of the 19th. Century named W.J. Taylor.He was muling the British Isles & the Canadian currency token dies & striking pieces from them.They are regarded as a real have by some collectors,but some collectors do collect them as part of the series,due to their rarity.

W.J. Taylor struck 1/2d. currency tokens bearing his name in 1851 for circulation in Melbourne,Australia.I have got one depicting a kangaroo on the obverse & Britannia on the reverse in my own collection.

Aidan.

[coinsarefun]

Nice one Larry....congrat's!

I have read about them but have never seen one.
Thanks for sharing it with us

[Billy Kingsley]

I would agree with you on the lack of a face originally...It probably looks better now then it did then, considering that! What is the round object? I am guessing some sort of gear. It almost looks like she is in a wheelchair. I don't even know if those existed in 1794.