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took place: these were of thin and readily broken metal, badly 
struck and light, weighing but six grains each. 
A license to mint this dishonest coinage was granted to John, 
Lord Harington (the coins from this rapidly becoming known as 
Haringtons), and they were issued for currency at the rate of 
twenty-one shillings in farthings, for twenty shillings sterling. A 
proclamation issued May 19th, 1613, prohibited the circulation 
of the Traders’ Tokens, or of any Tokens other than those made 
by his Majesty’s authority. James I, on granting this license, 
stipulated that he should every three months receive half of the 
profit accruing from their issue, but this arrangement was soon 
altered, Harington being then allowed a fixed sum for mintage, 
the whole of the profit derived going to the King. A peculiar 
method was adopted in the attempt to force these Tokens into 
circulation ; made up in parcels each of the worth of 5s. 3d. 
and these again made up in bags to the value of £20, they were 
forwarded to the Mayors and Bailiffs of various towns, who were 
requested to sell them to the public. To encourage a quick 
trade, for all sold and for which remittance was made within two 
months, Master Mayor was allowed two shillings per pound 
weight for his trouble, but if not settled for within two months, 
then only one shilling. The office controlling.the issue of these 
Tokens was in Lothbury, London ; the site being still known as 
Token-House yard. 
It was noted at this time that “the said Farthing Tokens have 
not onely beene found very commodious and necessarie for pettie 
commutations, but also to be a great reliefe of the poore, and 
means to increase charitie, without which many of them had 
perished, everie man having means to give almes.” The death of 
the second Lord Harington occurring early in 1614, private 
Traders again issued Tokens, presuming that the patent had 
lapsed, but a proclamation dated June 21st, 1614, declared it 
still valid and vested in the widow of the first patentee and her 
successors. Despite the ingenuity of the method by which these 
