Original 1796 Portsea, Hampshire copper Promissory Halfpenny token.
An attractive late 18th-century provincial trade token issued in Portsea (Portsmouth) by local publicans Samuel Salmon, John Courtney and Edward Frost.
Obverse: St George on horseback slaying the dragon, surrounded by the legend:
PROMISSORY HALFPENNY
with the date 1796 below.
Reverse: A man-of-war sailing ship with a large salmon/fish beneath.
The designs relate to the three Portsea issuers and their respective public houses.
Edge: Lettered edge, with much of the inscription still clearly visible:
PAYABLE AT S SALMONS I COURTNEY & E FROST PORTSEA X
The edge lettering can be seen in the photographs supplied.
Reference: Dalton & Hamer Hampshire 79 (D&H 79)
Weight: approximately 11g on my kitchen scales Diameter: approximately 29mm Metal: Copper Date: 1796
A very interesting Hampshire/Portsmouth Conder token dating from the period when privately issued tokens were widely used because of shortages of official small-denomination coinage.
Circulated condition with age-related wear, marks and patination. Despite its age, there is still good detail to St George and the dragon, the sailing ship and salmon, with a clear date and substantial surviving edge lettering.
Please study all photographs carefully as these form an important part of the description.