Thomas Thompson's Evesham Penny 6th June 1796

18^th Century Token, Worcestershire, Evesham copper Penny, 1796, payable by Thomas Thompson, issued by Paul Skidmore, engraved by Benjamin Jacobs, view of Abbot's Tower, Jacobs below, legend and toothed border surrounding, EVESHAM PENNY, rev. struck en medaille, TT cypher with flower garnish, olive branches surrounding, legend with date and toothed border surrounding, PAYABLE BY / JUNE. 6. 1796, edge with incuse lettering, I PROMISE TO PAY ON DEMAND TO BEARER ONE PENNYx, weight 24.34g (D&H 6 R). Toned with considerable underlying brilliance, some unevenness in tone near rims, otherwise good extremely fine and pleasing.

One of only 60 struck, these private tokens were a special order for Thomas Thompson the Whig MP only for him to use in exchanges with fellow token collecting enthusiasts for rarities that he required. Even Sarah Sophia Banks initial offering to try and obtain one of Thompson's Pennies was refused, eventually exchanging a Birmingham Workhouse token by Thomas Welch for one of these Evesham pieces. The exact date of June 6^th 1796 is a commemoration of Thompson's re-election to the House of Commons.

Provenance: This coin illustrated in "Coinage and Currency in Eighteenth Century Britain, The Provincial Coinage" by David W Dykes, page 265, number 286.

Originally purchased from Spink and Son Ltd by Dr Dykes in July 1996.