The R C Bell Collection of British Trade Tokens

18th Century, Durham, Stockton-on-Tees, [Thomas] King[s]ton, Halfpenny, 1794, helmeted bust left, reverse sailing ship, KINGTONS edge (DH 9). Struck from rusted dies, usual flaws around face of bust and a small surface mark under P of PUBLICO, otherwise about extremely fine and patinated, of the highest rarity with this edge (£150-250)

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The R C Bell Collection of British Trade Tokens.

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Collection

Ex W.J. Davis (lot 34, acquired by Lincoln). With undated Corbitt & Hunter ticket, priced at 20s.

The first specimen with the genuine Kingtons edge that the cataloguer has seen. Waters refers to Atkins knowing only of the specimen that he (Atkins) owned; it is unlikely that the Atkins and Davis/Bell pieces are one and the same, as it is understood that Atkins did not part with his collection until at least the autumn of 1902, and then only selectively; an important token missing from all the notable collections dispersed by auction since 1901, including Norman, Hamer, Lincoln, Waite Sanderson, Longman, Farnell, Jan and Gerson