Gloucestershire, Cheltenham, ‘John Bastin’, Penny, 1812, St Mary’s Church, rev. legend, edge thin centre-grained, 22.94g/6h (W 672). Legends slightly double-struck, otherwise extremely fine with brown patina, very rare £300-400

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of 19th Century Tokens formed by Frank Gorsler.

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Provenance: D.G. Vorley Collection, Part II, Glendining Auction, 2 March 1994, lot 582 (part) [from Spink 1973]; W.J. Noble Collection, Noble Numismatics Pty Auction 58B (Melbourne), 7-8 July 1998, lot 1870; bt M.J. Dickinson 2000.

The cataloguer contends that the die-sinker punched the name bastin instead of bishop (John Bishop), otherwise the pieces (W 672 and 673) share the same dies, although the Bishop pennies are always 3-4g lighter than those naming Bastin. Traces of the a in bastin are visible as an undertype on the better of the two John Bishop pennies in lot 49. Paul Withers was unable to trace anyone by the name of John Bastin in commerce in Cheltenham at the time