Coins, Tokens and Historical Medals

Tokens (Early 19th century), Douglas, Atlas Fire Office (John Beatson and George Copeland), Halfpenny, 1811, Atlas kneeling, holding globe, douglas below, rev. triskeles, large letters, edge grained, 7.39g/6h (W 2078; Prid. 60; KM. Tn 5; cf. R.J. Ford I, 235; cf. Cain 2784). Even wear, fine for this great rarity; very few genuine specimens known, perhaps less than six examples £800-1,200

These pieces are almost always seen in commerce as electrotypes of the British Museum original by Robert Ready (cf. Guard 505). Described by Nelson in 1899 as a pattern, an opinion copied by Mackay in 1977, the condition of most of the survivors mitigates against this (Pridmore, p.25). The illustration in the Cain sale catalogue (of what is believed to be the same coin which was lot 496 in the Pridmore sale of 1981) would infer the existence of a cross-over mule, pairing the ‘douglas below’ die with a small lettered reverse, although it is thought that this was a catalogue printing error as such a piece is not known