84 DORSET TOKENS AND MEDALS. 



of the inventor of the carpets bearing the name of that town ; he 

 died in 1833, aged 73. 



The partner named Pew was probably a relative of Dr. Richard 

 Pew (if not the doctor himself), who was then living in Sherborne, 

 and who was the author of sundry pamphlets on medical topics. 



NINETEENTH CENTURY TOKENS. 



These pieces were struck in silver only, as far as this county is 

 concerned, and were confined to shillings and sixpences, with the 

 single exception to be presently mentioned. 



The condition of the national silver currency at the beginning 

 of that century was admittedly a scandal, and was constantly 

 referred to in Parliament ; such English coins as were in circula- 

 tion being so worn by use as to be generally illegible. This lack 

 of necessary change moved the Bank of England to issue within 

 a space of about twelve months nearly two millions sterling in 

 silver tokens, made from Spanish dollars, which were in effect 

 sanctioned by the Privy Council. 



From Bank of England tokens to private tokens was a very 

 short step, and one that traders speedily took. In all parts of 

 the country individuals and associations put forth the silver pieces 

 that were needed for carrying out the minor transactions of 

 everyday life, and very creditable productions many of them 

 were. 



These tokens, however, had but a brief life of some three 

 years. The great majority appeared in 181 1, and a smaller 

 number in 18 12; in July of the latter year Parliament enacted 

 that no gold or silver tokens, other than those issued by the 

 Bank of England, should be circulated after 25th March, 1813. 

 ]\Iuch alarm was caused by this prohibition, and the Government, 

 owing to their continued failure to supply legal currency, were 

 under the humiliating necessity of extending on two separate 

 occasions the time limit originally fixed for the suppression of 

 the local issues. 



