56 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



with branches at Kingston and Dundas. A later and larger token, 

 issued by the same firm in the year 1832, anticipated the re-naming 

 of the capital of Ontario, "Toronto," by two years. It had heretofore 

 been known as "Little York" often qualified by the derisive term 

 "muddy." 



Coming back to Lower Canada, we find a fîood of home made 

 coins, issued between the years 1832 and 1836. Of these the chief 

 varieties were: — The "Tifîtîns," the "Harps" and the "Blacksmiths," 

 all antedated. 



The "Tififin" tokens, so designated because issued by Joseph 

 Tififin, an extensive grocery merchant of Montreal, were put into 

 circulation on account of the lack of copper change that at that time 

 prevailed in Canada. This merchant took the remedy into his own 

 hands and ordered a supply of halfpenny tokens from England; but 

 instead of calling for a special design of his own, he had a copy, struck 

 on a lighter flan, of an anonymous English trade token, dated 1812, 

 bearing on the obverse a bust of George III within a wreath of oak 

 leaves and on the reverse an allgorical figure of commerce seated. 

 These tokens, which, although issued thirty years later, bore the date 

 of the original, became so popular, that in a short time many imitations 

 or rather counterfeits in brass, more or less barbarous in execution, 

 made their appearance and circulated freely among the genuine. 



The "Harps," on the other hand, while not attributed to any 

 firm as issuers, are not slavish copies of any English prototype. The 

 obverse was impressed with the bust of George IV and the reverse 

 with a harp, which gave them their name, without other emblem or 

 inscription than the date "1820." The first issued, a very rare copper 

 coin struck in England bore the date 1825, but the die was altered to 

 1820 by over charging the "5" with "0", as examples occur with 

 faint traces of the five under the zero. This alteration in the 

 date clearly proves that antedating was done purposely to deceive 

 the people and bears out the contention, previously stated, to the 

 same effect regarding the "Vexators." The "Harps" like the "Tiffins" 

 were so popular as currency, that immense quantities of brass counter- 

 feits were circulated, some of them of such inferior workmanship, 

 that the bust of George IV became a hideous caricature. So great 

 was the quantity issued, that old dies were refurbished and used to 

 strike fresh coinages after they had been thrown aside as useless and 

 allowed to rust. 



The "Blacksmiths", so called from their unfinished and often 

 rough appearance, were imitations of halfpenny tokens of George II 

 and George HI, worn almost smooth, which at the time formed the only 

 legal copper currency. They were impressed with a faint outline of 



