(Nov 26, 2016)
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| Obverse | Female holding fasces, seated on large rock, “BIRMINGHAM MINING AND COPPER COMPANY 1792” | | Reverse | Stork standing on cornucopia, “HALFPENNY PAYABLE AT” | | Edge inscription | “BIRMINGHAM REDRUTH & SWANSEA”, followed by fascinating chemical symbols for gold, mercury, lead, silver, copper, tin and iron, appropriate for a mining token | Edge inscription worn but reads BIRMINGHAM REDRUTH & SWANSEA followed by fascinating chemical symbols for gold, mercury, lead, silver, copper, tin and iron
In Great Britain, a shortage of small denomination coinage had been reported as early as the late 14th century
For many years, no copper or silver coins were minted at all, and in 1775 King George III had halted the production of copper coinage at the Royal Mint
[13] These first tokens bore the image of a hooded Druid, and within two months time were receiving attention in London as a possible solution to the shortage of small denomination coin
[14] Not long after the appearance of the Druid tokens, other cities, businesses, and proprietors would follow suit and begin designing and minting their own small denomination coinage
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