British Guinea Tokens

Aethelred

I have been holding onto these for a while. I understand that these were used as gaming counters, but suspect a few migh have been gold washed and passed. I know that sleazy eBay sellers try to pass them as genuine guineas all the time! I think it is interseting that two of these three bear dates that do not exist on real Spade Guineas!

Sylvestius

Ah nice to see an 'in memory of the good old days' one there, i've got one of those too but it's half guinea size.

lordmarcovan

I have one on the Holey Gold Hat, as you may recall. (Three of the coins on the hat are not really gold, but lookalikes). I keep my fake Spade guinea polished up all nice and shiny, so it matches the real gold on the hat.

I think mine is dated 1789 or 1790. I also have a genuine 1789 half-guinea on the hat, and next to that, a 1787 sixpence that was gilded long ago (maybe somebody tried to pass it off as a half-guinea, too, who knows?)

elverno

Nice group! There are stories in one of my copies of Gentleman's Magazine (for 1799 I think) warning readers of unscrupulous con men passing them off even without benefit of the internet...

Aethelred

I suspect these are worth very little, but they are neat. There is even a book on them!

lordmarcovan

Vern- I'd love to see a scan of that warning, if you get the time. Sounds pretty neat.

Aethelred

<< <i>Vern- I'd love to see a scan of that warning, if you get the time. Sounds pretty neat. >>



I concur!