SO I LIED ( One More token )

cosmicdebris

After bidding on and loosing this token in the last Dix Noonan Auction it appears I have a second chance at it. It is on it's way on approval to me as we speak.



Warwickshire 312: Sharp's "Peeping Tom" private token; only 48 struck!

This is truly an amazing and important token with superb bronzing and a razor-sharp strike. Please note Tom the tailor peeping out the third floor niche, as he was preparing to gaze upon the naked Lady Godiva on her famous ride through Coventry in 1067. Poor chap; it would be the last thing he would ever see. Thomas Sharp, the manufacturor of this wonderful private token, was said to be born in the very same room in 1770.

laurentyvan

SO I LIED ( One More token )

I'm sorry Bill, but I don't think I believe you. Remember, "betcha can't eat just one"- sorry, clumsy metaphor.

spinaker2000

<< <i> SO I LIED ( One More token )

I'm sorry Bill, but I don't think I believe you. Remember, "betcha can't eat just one"- sorry, clumsy metaphor. >>



Save some $$$ for Atlanta!!

laurentyvan

By the way, the token is amazing-probably my favorite of all the ones you showed. It reeks with historical significance but why only 48? Hardly seems worth the effort and where are the original dies?

cosmicdebris

I can not wait to see it in hand and post my own images.

Yes the history behind this one is very cool. I have to find out why only 48. Maybe Conder 101 can shed some light for us.

theboz11

Looks sharp Bill

AuldFartte

That's awesome - nice pickup

Conder101

Like you said, this was a private token. Many of the people who issued private tokens were collectors of the Provincial tokens. There was a lot of competition and oneupmanship between these collectors. Well one way to pry a particularly rare token away from someone would be to offer another very rare token in return. Also If you had a private token made you would have something that no one else had. So many of these collctors had tokens made for themselves and would then trade them with another collector to get one of those rare tokens that he had (which was actually a private that he had had made.) Now there wouldn't be the need to have a large number of tokens made. (Think about it how many close collector friends do you have who collect the same specialty that you do.) Most of these were full weight tokens and were struck to the legal specifications which was about 46 to 48 tokens to one pound of metal. The most common mintage figures for private tokens tend to fall around the number of full weight pieces that can be struck from 1/2, 1, 1 1/2, or 2 pounds of copper. And since they were made by collectors for collectors most of them have survived in very nice condition.

cosmicdebris

See I knew he would know