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II. — The Tokens of Cornwall — By E. N. Worth, Plymouth, Corr. 

 Mem. 



FOE five-and-twenty years during the latter half of the seven- 

 teenth century there were issued all over England, Wales, 

 and Ireland, what are known as tradesmen's tokens. They had 

 their origin in a national necessity, and they continued current 

 until that necessity was supplied. A little more than a century 

 later a similar need again arose, and again private enterprise 

 supplied the deficiencies of the national mint, until the regal 

 coinage was once more brought up to the mark of the times. 

 This paper is intended to give a list, as complete as may be, of 

 the tokens of both series issued in the county of Cornwall. 



For centuries the coinage of this kingdom was either wholly 

 silver, or what was made to pass current as such, or silver and gold. 

 In Northumbria of the Heptarchy, brass or copper coins known as 

 stycas were struck, two of which were equal in value to a farthing ; 

 but the old silver penny continued to be almost the sole money of 

 England down to the reign of Edward I (John had issued silver 

 pence) who ordered in 1279 a large coinage of silver half-pence 

 and farthings. As years went on and trade increased so much 

 the more severely was the want of small change felt. Pence 

 represented a far larger proportionate value in those days than 

 they do now ; and half-pence and farthings were of consequence 

 accordingly. There were continual complaints of their scarcity ; 

 and as whenever they were issued it was in silver, this fact, 

 coupled with the gradually decreasing size of the silver penny 

 (originally a pennyweight), rendered them at the best excessively 

 inconvenient. Various devices were had resort to in order to 

 make up the deficiency ; and in the reign of Henry VII the first 

 private tokens were struck, in lead. They continued to be issued 

 Tiotwithstanding several enactments to the contrary for many 

 years. Edward VI was the last who coined silver farthings ; but 

 silver half-pence was coined down to the reign of Charles I ; and 

 Elizabeth issued silver three-farthing pieces. 



Up to this time, with the exception of the foreign tokens which 



