DORSET SEVENTEENTH CENTURY TOKENS. 43 



which are now known as 17th century tokens, and were the subject 

 of Boyne's work, immediately began to be issued, and were circulated 

 without authority, and, as stated on some of them, for " necessary 

 change." As they were received again by the issuer when pre- 

 sented they were far preferable to the patent farthings. The 

 coining of the tokens seems to have been often performed by the 

 issuers themselves, and Boyne mentions the discovery, and gives a 

 description of a token-press and dies, taken from an account in the 

 Gentleman's Magazine, vol. xxvii., p. 499. For the convenience of 

 rechanging the numerous varieties of tokens tradesmen kept boxes 

 with several divisions, into which those of the various tradesmen 

 and corporations were sorted, and when a sufficient number were 

 collected they were returned to the issuers to be exchanged for 

 silver. 



There were upwards of a hundred market-towns, boroughs, and 

 cities in England and Wales in which these tokens, called town- 

 pieces, were struck, some of the denomination of a farthing, some 

 of a half -penny. Of all the counties in England, Somerset is said to 

 have struck the greatest number of town-pieces, there being some 

 thirteen or fourteen cities and towns in it that coined them. Next 

 to Somerset in number stands the county of Dorset, which coined 

 eight, and which are more particularly alluded to hereafter. 



The town-pieces of those places which are incorporated have 

 commonly their arms on one side; and the non-incorporate a 

 device of some kind, some with an inscription on one side, some on 

 both. The tokens struck by private tradesmen and shopkeepers 

 were either farthings, half -pennies, or pennies, but not so many of 

 the last as of the two first. The tokens have for their type 

 generally in the area (or field) on one side the tradesman's sign, 

 consisting of merchant's marks, articles of dress, implements of 

 trade, articles of domestic use, tavern signs, heraldic signs, animals, 

 &c. \ and on the other, the initial letters of his Christian and 

 surname, and on many is added a third for that of his wife ; some 

 instead thereof have the date of the year ; others his trade, or the 

 name of the place where he lived ; some again have initial letters 



