Ancient, British and World Coins, Historical Medals and Banknotes

13th Century, 13th Century: Main Pictorial series, GOLD token, lis on checky field, reverse rose cross of 8 petals, normal size 16mm flan, 2.43gm (cf. Mitchiner 67). Minor test marks both sides, otherwise better than very fine, believed to be the earliest known English token struck in gold, an important and significant piece (£300-400)

Found in a spoil heap at Trig Lane, London, 1987.

No other gold tokens of this period are believed to exist. It is thought that the contemporary pewter and lead tokens were issued under ecclesiastical authority (certainly until the early 14th century). The purpose of the piece is unclear; at almost four times the weight of a contemporary lead token, it may have had some ecclesiastical presentational purpose