324 



Some Old Coppers. 



particular tradesmen, — trading companies, — towns, — cities, — and 

 even villages. The circulation of these provincial halfpence, seems 

 to have been put an end to not later than the year 1818. The 

 interest in these " old coppers " arises from two causes ; the extra- 

 ordinary value of the designs of many of them, and the way in 

 which they hand down to these days the most engrossing matters 

 of their date. "With regard to the designs on many of them, in 

 some cases they are so extraordinary, that those who have not 

 actually seen them, might fairty accuse any writer, who described 

 them, as playing upon the credulity of his readers : therefore it is 

 necessary here to state that every description in this paper has 

 been written from the actual coin, or from an accurate engraving 

 of it. 



These copper coins represented various values — the commonest 

 being one penny ; others represented a halfpenny — others again 

 one farthing : whilst one issued by John Pinkerton in 1789, stood 

 proxy for one shilling. Many of these coins are interesting from 

 having struck upon them representations of buildings — some of 

 which are already destroyed. It would be quite impossible within 

 the limits of a paper of this description to enumerate all ; but to 

 give an idea of what these representations are, mention may be 

 made of Colchester and Bungay Castles (in ruins), Chichester and 

 Ipswich Market Crosses — a multitude of churches, town halls, and 

 factories ; most of the old gates of the city of London — Bishops- 

 gate — Ludgate — Aldgate and Temple Bar — the Houses of Parlia- 

 ment as they then stood — the Hospitals, and indeed most of the 

 public buildings in London. 



Others again record great engineering successes, such as bridges, 

 — canals — and what was thought such a wonder at the time of its 

 being formed — the Brimscombe tunnel for the canal near Stroud. 

 Some recorded events of local history : Coventry for instance, has 

 its penny, whereon figures Queen Godiva, in her ride " pro bono 

 publico." A token issued in the city of York commemorates the 

 birth there of the Emperor Constantine. 



Men too, who have made themselves a name, are frequently 

 represented on these old coppers : — Shakspeare — Newton — Johnson 



