BARBADOS (WEST INDIES). "Freedom without Slavery". Circa 1830. Copper halfpenny token. 28 mm. A barrel of rum with MT initials on the end; FREEDOM WITHOUT SLAVERY around / A bale with M T initials on the end; MOSES TOLANTO BARBADOES around. Pridmore 27. Spink (Colonial) Tn2a. KM Tn3. Rulau BBS-10. PCGS AU53BN; (TOLANTO mistakenly spelled TOLENTO on tag). Rare, seldom offered and of the three pieces I could find, only this one is in appealing condition. Examples typically show punch marks meant to cancel their currency.

Pridmore notes that the name Tolano was misspelled on this token. Moses Tolano was a merchant in Bridgetown (at 33 Swan Street), Barbados whose death was recorded in 1852. Slavery was not abolished until 1834 in the British Empire so the date 1830-indicated on the NGC sticker-suggests an early supporter of freedom. (It wasn't until 1838 that full emancipation was achieved.) Fascinating piece....