HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [3 



As the Stafford Mint seems to have originated in the reign of the 

 Conqueror, so also does it appear to have terminated therein ; as no 

 coins struck at this town occur till the time of the Commonwealth, 

 tvhen cities, borough-towns, villages, arid even private individuals, 

 through the want of small change, were permitted by Government 

 to coin and circulate their own specie. During this period, a Far- 

 thing Token was struck by some tradesman of this town; but as Snel- 

 ling (who quotes the coin) has neither given his name, nor any re- 

 presentation of his currency, nor has the piece itself come to our 

 bands, we are unable to atioid our readers any farther information 

 respecting it. 



1 1 may neither be improper nor uninteresting here to remark, 

 that while many places, of much less repute and consideration than 

 Stafford at the time above-mentioned, issued common Town Farth- 

 ing's and Half-pence, for the accommodation of- their respective in- 

 habitants, not one of that place, of either description, it is believed, 

 has yet made its appearance. 



In the large private Copper Coinage v, hich was issued about 

 twenty years ago, Stafford has a place ; Messrs, ilorton and Co. 

 having struck a Half-penny, bearing on the obverse, the Anas of 

 the Town, over which is its na:ne, and beneath, the date 1797. 

 This coin is circumscribed on the edge with the words: "Payable 

 by Ilorton arid Company." On the reverse is the Cypher of Mr. 

 Hori'on, with a Cross Crosslet on either side. Above the Cypher 

 is the word " Half-penny ;" and below, a small ornamental flourish. 

 The die of this piece \vas sunk by Mr. Willets ; the coin was manu- 

 factured by Mr. Kempson, a.id about a ton weight thereof struck.* 



IJCHFIELD. 



Although this ancient and celebrated City (amongst other marks 

 of Royal munificence) was honoured with that of a Mint, granted by 



* It is -with great pleasure we are enabled to gratify our readers with an in- 

 teresting- supplement to the foregoing account of the Mintage of Stafford, and 

 v. hich carries it to still higher antiquity than the former disco\eries had done. 

 To the Cabinet of the Gentleman to whom we are indebted for these numis- 

 matic .Memoirs, has recently been added a fine Penny of ICihvard the Confessor, 

 bearing on its obverse his profile portrait to the right, helmetted, JUH! with a 

 sceptre surmounted with four pelk-ls, diamond-5se, joined. Jfoumtthe bust 

 is the King's name and style, ftADWA'RD. HE. . The reverse has a cross of 

 double lines, extending to the inner circle only; and in each quarter two lines 

 extending from the same circle, and terminated at their point of concurrence 

 with a pellet. This side of the ro ; n is inscribed, GODtt I\K ON STAR. 

 being part of the word Xtaiffvrd, which v. as the orthography of the townV 

 uusue then in use. En. 



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