The Collection of 18th Century Tokens formed by Dr David L Spence

Cambridgeshire, Cambridge, James Burleigh, Penny, 1799, Thomas Hobson on horseback right, rev. water tower on cobbled square, edge lettered, 29.74g/12h (DH 9). Light graze on obverse, otherwise extremely fine and patinated, very rare (£300-350)

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of 18th Century Tokens formed by Dr David L Spence.

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Provenance:
Bt Spink September 1976.

48 struck. James Burleigh, carrier and alderman, whose waggons ran between the city and the Bull Inn, Bishopsgate street, London; Burleigh street in Cambridge is named after him. The obverse design is taken from a large equestrian portrait of Thomas Hobson (c.1543-1630), then owned by Burleigh; the painting passed to Swann & Sons, livery stablers, in Hobson street, and was acquired by the city in 1849. Hobson, who had a stable of 40 horses, ran a fleet of freight waggons, delivered the university mail and even ferried live fish to London for the Royal household. He was one of the principal funders of the water supply system named after him, Hobson’s Conduit, shown on the reverse of the token