BRITISH 18TH CENTURY TOKENS, ENGLAND, Skidmore, Copper Halfpenny mule, obv woolpack between palm branches, PAYABLE . AT . T . SANTER KIDDERMINSTER above, rev busts of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette right, LOUIS XVI ET M. ANTOINETTE . ROI ET REINE DE FRANCE around, edge plain (Conder p.283, 194; Atkins p.247, 23; D&H Worcestershire 24). A few spots, otherwise good extremely fine and exceedingly rare.
Founded by John Skidmore (1748-1823) and later joined by his second son, Paul (b. 1775) in 1795 or 1796. They carried on an iron-foundry and held the appointment of stovegrate maker to His Majesty's Board of Ordnance. The company produced numerous tokens, ultimately responsible for more than a quarter of all the token varieties produced in the late 18th Century, including those issued by Matthew Denton, Thomas Prattent, and Thomas Spence.
Estimate: £200-300