Ancient, British and World Coins, Tokens, Tickets and Passes, Historical and Art Medals, Numismatic Books and Banknotes. Includes the Ellen Judson Collection of British Tokens (Part II)

Early 19th Century Silver Tokens, Wiltshire, Staverton, John Jones, Halfcrown, 1811, view of Staverton Mill on the River Avon, rev. value in wreath, 9.90g/12h (D 6). Usual weakness on date, otherwise brilliant and practically as struck, most attractively toned and retaining original mint bloom, extremely rare (£1,200-1,500)

Provenance:
From an American source – certainly superior to the Noble specimen (lot 1817, subsequently SNC May 1999, £1,950).

John Jones (†1812), was the proprietor of the Staverton Super-fine Woollen Manufactory, which he erected at the turn of the century. The mill was said to house the very latest in textile technology, and hostilities between Jones and local wool shearmen who feared for their livelihoods reached a peak when Jones was attacked and shot in the face in an incident in 1808. His offer of a £500 reward for the capture of the culprits was never claimed. Jones was declared bankrupt in November 1812 and died within weeks. The mill as depicted on the token, engraved by Thomas Wyon, burnt down in 1824, but was rebuilt the following year and, many years later, was acquired by Nestlé, the food processor