Tokens, Tickets and Passes, Historical Medals

19th Century Tokens, ISLE OF MAN, Douglas, Atlas Fire Office (John Beatson and George Copeland), Halfpenny, 1811, Atlas kneeling, holding globe, douglas below, rev. triskeles, large letters, edge grained, 7.23g/6h (W 2078; Prid. 60; KM. Tn 5; cf. R.J. Ford I, 235; cf. Cain 2784). Extremely fine with attractive chocolate brown patina, a great rarity; very few genuine specimens known, perhaps less than six examples, of which this is almost certainly the finest £2,000-£3,000

Provenance: F.S. Cokayne Collection [from Spink December 1921, £20].

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). Other genuine examples in recent commerce are two pieces sold by DNW (15 September 2015, Fine, £1,500, and 18 September 2018, mediocre, £420)

Withdrawn: electrotype