Thoughts on this 1793 Lancashire Halfpenny?

Meltdown

I don't know anything about this other than it's very cool. I impulse purchased it at my favorite shop
yesterday for $45.
So here's a few general questions...
How did I do on the price?
Does it look original and what would you grade it? XF-ish?
Is the obverse cud common on this date/variety?
There is a lot of reverse strike doubling which I assume is common, but the 9 in the date is way off.
Thanks in advance for any info you darksiders can provide me...

rwyarmch

And the edge on your token reads...?

farthing

Your token is one of the varieties of Lancashire Liverpool D&H #105

The token comes in 4 different varieties, depending on the edge:
#105 - PAYABLE AT ANGLESEA LONDON OR BRISTOL
#105a - PAYABLE AT LONDON & LIVERPOOL
#105b - Plain
#105c - LONDON ///// ANGLESEA ///// OR ///// BRISTOL

#105 is a common token, 105a, b & c are very rare varieties.

This is one of a number of token varieties made for Thomas Clarke. The genuine trade tokens minted for Clarke have the edge PAYABLE AT THE WAREHOUSE OF THOMAS CLARKE . X . X

Meltdown

Thanks Farthing. It appears to be the 105 and not the AB or C.

Does it look original to you? I thought it did from what little I know of copper. How was the $45 price tag?

farthing

It definitely looks original. Dalton and Hamer do mention that examples are found with the die flaws on the obverse and reverse.

The reverse features the Arms and Crest of the Borough of Liverpool. R. C. Bell states that 10 tons of the genuine trade tokens were minted. Who knows how many unauthorized tokens and mules were also minted.

$45 is to the upper end of the scale. There are a number of common die and edge varieties to the Clarke Liverpool tokens - these would usually be seen in the $25-$50 range.