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Towards the close of 1797 the palmy days of the tokens had passed, 
their use originating in necessity had become a nuisance, and the 
condition of the token coinage in general was almost as bad as had been 
the Regal. To this many causes had contributed, the early productions 
were honest substitutes for the Regal currency, the later in many cases 
were issued primarily for advertisement. At the outset the tokens were 
of good value and readily redeemed by their original issuers; but 
tempted by the facility with which they could be placed in circulation, 
the opportunity for undue profit was often too tempting, the standard 
declined and the bulk of the later issues were made of inferior metal 
and of light weight, and the large number of pieces issued not bearing 
on the edges names of any person or place, but a title such as “ Current 
anywhere” also contributed in no small degree to the disinclination of 
the public to accept them. 
The Government for some ten years had been considering the 
expediency of a new Regal Copper coinage, and during the time the 
firm of Boulton and Watt had laid down a wonderfully complete plant 
for the production of Coins, Medals, &c. 
_ With this firm in 1797 the Government placed a contract for a supply 
of the much needed new coinage, the first contract being for 500 tons 
at £108 per ton, the firm providing everything, including the copper, 
th eir commission being 4d. in the £1, and in that year the country saw 
and admired the once popular broad rimmed twopenny* and penny 
pieces, Over 700,000 pieces being issued each week. 
This large issue of Regal Coinage at once sealed the fate of the 
Private issues, and the period of the 18th Century Traders tokens 
ceased. Renewed contracts were made with Boulton and Watt till 
1807, when they ceased, but during the ten years 4,200 tons of copper 
were minted by them. 
a 
7 
The 2d. piece weighed two ounces, and eight of them measured one foot ; the 
Id . piece one ounce, and 17 measured two feet. 
