Watch List notes:

BRITISH 18TH CENTURY TOKENS, ENGLAND, John Wilkinson (1728-1808), industrialist with interests in both iron and copper, Copper Halfpenny (4), 1795, forge reverse, all edge WILLEY SNEDSHILL BERSHAM BRADLEY, obv bust right, IOHN WILKINSON IRON MASTER, ribbed coat with collar, four buttons, upper tie of queue points to W of WILKINSON, no stop after R (2), rev man working at a forge, straight 1 and 7, 1 to right of edge of the support, 5 nearly clear of anvil, flat top to 1 (D&H Warwickshire 420); rev 5 under edge of anvil, sloped top to 1 (Atkins p.232, 282; D&H Warwickshire 421); obv nose to second limb of M (2), rev 1 under centre of the support, 5 under anvil (Atkins p.232, 283; D&H Warwickshire 422); rev 1 to right of edge of the support (D&H Warwickshire 423). Generally extremely fine, D&H 423 with a little corrosion, very rare, D&H 420 rare. (4)

D&H 420, D&H 422, D&H 423 ex Spink

D&H 421 ex Dalton Collection
Wilkinson was successful in the development of a steam engine cylinder for the firm of Boulton & Watt in 1775, later issuing large quantities of tokens ostensibly to pay his employees. The tokens were referred to as "Willy's" and were heavily counterfeited. His use of his own portrait on the tokens was the subject of a satirical tract in the London Magazine in 1787. Wilkinson repeatedly reduced the weight of his tokens in an effort to shave costs and when he attempted to pay some of his employees in countersigned French assignats, parliament stepped in and stopped the practice in 1793.

Estimate: £80-120