WARWICKSHIRE, Birmingham, John Clarke, Halfpenny, MDCCXCV [1795], Britannia crowning a bust of George III, rev. oak tree and fleet of ships sailing in background, PAYABLE AT THE HOUSE OF JOHN CLARKE BULL STREET on edge, 5h, 12.97g (D&H 122), minor pinmarking to the reverse visible under magnification, brilliant to the fields and proof-like, with a dark glossy tone, a handsome and medallic-style striking, nearing as struck, one of reportedly only 36 struck, thus very rare.
The Pritchard Collection of 18th Century Provincial Tokens and Commemorative Medals,
John Clark, described as a perfumer and toy man of Bull street, Birmingham, issued this halfpenny token. Only thirty-six were struck before the dies broke. Hamer writes; 'the work of the die-sinking has been admirably executed by Wyon...This has not been previously classed as a private token, but the absence of any trade advertisement, also the facts that no more were struck from new dies, and that the tokens would cost more than their face value, are strong evidence that the issue was not for currency, notwithstanding the edge-reading. A specimen sold for 10s. 6d, previously in 1801.'
