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Bath City and Traders’ Tokens issued during the 17th Century. 
By S. SYDENHAM. 
(Read February Sth, 1905.) 
After bringing to your notice in previous papers the Tokens 
issued by Bath Traders during the closing years of the 18th and 
the opening years of the 19th Century, it may be considered 
strange that I now revert to an earlier issue of such Tokens in 
what is known as the 17th Century period. 
For this however, I have several reasons; till recently I gave 
most attention to the later issues, and my collection of local 17th 
Century Tokens is somewhat meagre compared with those of 
more recent date; but my chief reason is that the untiring 
research of the Rev. C. W. Shickle into the Municipal Records 
and the Registers of many Churches in the City, has recently 
placed at the service of students of Bath history a mass of most 
valuable information, previously not readily accessible, incidentally 
| throwing light upon the issue of the City Tokens, and giving 
knowledge of great value respecting many of the local Traders 
who at that period (1648-72) participated in the issue, general 
then throughout the country, of these essentially democratic 
which as issued by the people, tell of the 
? 
_ “monies of necessity ’ 
people only, and form imperishable records of their occupations, 
trade guilds and companies, and often of their local government. 
Late in the 16th Century the necessity for currency of small 
-yalue had been acutely felt. An issue of Regal copper coinage 
was contemplated during the reign of Elizabeth, but was not 
carried into effect, the Queen apparently being averse to such 
introduction, and numerous Traders then commenced the issue 
of Tokens, made of brass, lead and even of leather. 
Soon after the accession of James I. quantities of silver pence 
vere issued, and a pattern farthing was prepared, but not issued 
r currency. In 1613 a large issue of Regal Farthing Tokens 
D 
