I found an old coin - please help

[Guest strummer]

I know nothing sbout old coins.

I am renovating a 16th centuary house near Cambridge and found this old coin deep under a cobbled floor.

[Guest strummer]

Here's the back.

And here's it with a 1p

[mint_mark 9]

I recognise that! It's a Brutus halfpenny token... they were made in Walthamstow (NE London) in about 1812 (it is undated). This was a time when there was a shortage of small change, so companies and merchants made their own coins to use. I think this one was made by a metal working company. These tokens were also taken to the new colonies (Canada, Australia, New Zealand etc) where coins were also in short supply, so you often see them referred to as colonial tokens.

If you type "brutus token" into ebay's search you should find some for sale...

[Chris Perkins 228]

I don't mean to be picky, but at that time, and right up to the 1920's, Walthamstow was part of Essex. My Grandad was born there in 1900.

Spot on with the Brutus partof course!

[Sylvester 15]

The kettle is slowly boiling...

and on

and on...

is it whistling?

nooo....

[Sylvester 15]

Out of interest what date is that one penny?

(Looks like a pre-1992 bronze one to me)

[mint_mark 9]

I don't mean to be picky, but at that time, and right up to the 1920's, Walthamstow was part of Essex. My Grandad was born there in 1900.

Spot on with the Brutus partof course!

Chris you're absolutely right of course. I myself was born in Brentwood (Hi HPJ!) which is only just outside London these days, but I know that places such as Romford, Hornchurch and Ilford have all been swallowed in the past... a sort of progress I suppose. Sorry for insulting your ancestors... I certainly appreciate the difference between a good Essex town and a London suburb!

Back to Walthamstow... I think some of the buildings from the metal works where this token was made still survive... there's a dealer on ebay who shows a photo of them when he sells one of the tokens. Nothing for sale at the moment though.

[Guest strummer]

Thanks very much for the replys. I've compared my coin to the ones on eBay and although the heads are slightly different, there is no doubt that it says "BRUTUS" on it. Not only have you helped clear up our wee mystery but now we can also date the floor which it came up from. Cheers again.

BTW - Very interesting read in these pages.

P.S. Sorry no info on the 1p, it was just one that came out of my pocket for the photo. It's probably in the vault down the boozer now

[mint_mark 9]

Not only have you helped clear up our wee mystery but now we can also date the floor which it came up from.

Cor! This is just like being on Time Team!