Edinburgh Half Penny

[Guest Katie]

Have Edinburgh Half Penny dated 1790 with Edinburgh Castle on back. Front of coin has St Andrew and Cross on back. Inscription on front is NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSIT.

Inscription around rim says 'payable at the warehouse of Thos. & Alex Hutchison.

Couln't find any pictures on internet.

Thanks for any help

[Guest mish]

As the legends and edge inscription on your coin suggest, it is an Edinburgh halfpenny token issued in 1790 by Thomas and Alexander Hutchison, merchants whose business premises were stood in High Street, Edinburgh. According to Dalton and Hamer’s "The Provincial Token-Coinage of the Eighteenth Centuryâ€, there are various minor varieties of this piece, most of which are common. The obverse features St. Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland, holding the cross on which he was martyred, with thistles either side. The reverse carries a representation of the arms of Edinburgh – a shield bearing a triple-towered castle standing on a rock with a fouled anchor above. The shield sits on two crossed thistle branches. The obverse legend “NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSIT†will be familiar to collectors of British decimal coinage as the inscription found on the edge of the Scottish design one pound coins. It translates as “No-one provokes me with impunity†and is the motto of the Order of the Thistle. Value, as always, depends on condition. A quick Google search revealed an example for sale in Extremely Fine for £32 and another in Uncirculated for £36.

[Chris Perkins 228]

Thanks for answering that one Mish. I keep meaning to get a copy of "The Provincial Token-Coinage of the Eighteenth Century". Where did you get yours?

Chris

[Guest mish]

I bought my copy from Spinks via a local book dealer and paid a small fortune for it. It is still available at online at Spinks, but at the astronomical price of £125. If you're still interested, have a look at the following web page http://www.spink.com/asp/fullstockitem.asp...refno=+8027066&

[Chris Perkins 228]

I don't think I want it that much!

I'll keep an eye out for a second hand copy, I do have a few tokens (including 2 of the Scottish one mentioned by Katie) that i'd like to find out about.

Let me know when you've finished with yours!

Chris

[Chris Perkins 228]

Mish,

Can you have a quick look at my list of tokens here:

http://www.predecimal.com/forum/index.php?...t=ST&f=32&t=167

I'd like to know how much to price them at, what do you think?

Chris