How did Conder tokens gain legitimacy?

XpipedreamR

Given that they were neither precious metal nor government issued. Was is simply out of absolute need for lower denominated coinage? What did the English government have to say about this (if anything) at the time?

cosmicdebris

Government was not issuing enough small change at the time and some private Companies like the Pary's Mine decided to mint their own so they could pay their employees.

cosmicdebris

Some good reading material can be found HERE.

AuldFartte

The government (royalty, anyway) thought it beneath them to have thier images on coins of such a "base" metal as copper. As I understand it, the royals did give permission of sorts for private enterprises to mint copper coinage from about 1780-something to the early 1800's to be used for "small change" ... ergo, "Conder" tokens.

Steve27

"As (British) society became industrialized — with the ability to manufacture machinery that made more manufacturing possible in other fields — the laborer saw an opportunity to leave the farm, and make a living wage for his family. There was thus a steady exodus from the provinces to mining or large manufacturing centers, where the need to pay wages was hampered by a lack of small coin. Some of the mines were located in out of the way areas, and there was literally no change available. In the cities, with more and more workers getting wages, more shops of all sorts were opened, bringing with them more jobs that needed wages to be paid. All of this began to accelerate at a rapid rate by the mid 1780’s.

George III had discontinued the making of copper coins in 1775. He found that they did not circulate. There were two main reasons. The huge number of counterfeit coins in circulation would be spent first — if the holder could get anyone to accept them. The nice, new, shiny penny would be saved — part of “Gresham’s Law”— that states that “Bad money drives the good money out.” The second reason they did not circulate was the counterfeiter — who would gather up the new issues, melt them down, and make 2 or 3 lightweight coppers out of one good one — thus doubling or tripling their money. Obviously, this latter only added to the counterfeits in circulation.

A third reason existed. The large cities often had enough — or even an abundance — of coin. That most of it was “bad” coin was a fact, but at least it existed. The small towns out in the “provinces” were often completely without coin. Money has a habit of flowing to the major trade centers, never to return."