Next club meeting Monday 6^th September 2010.

• Subject - How I produced my book on Charles I Halfcrowns By Maurice.

Meetings are held at the Abbey Baptist Church. Entrance off Abbey Square.

Meeting commences at 7.00pm.

John introduced his talk by saying that he last spoke at the club 7 years ago.

The presentation he was to give tonight had been originally presented at 28th Annual British Token Congress last October which several members of Reading Coin Club also attended.

A constant of most of Guildford’s paranumismatics is the woolsack, wool was one if not most important industries in Guildford from the medieval period. ‘Guildford Blue Cloth’ also known as ‘Kersey’ was exported to Europe. Exported wool products were certificated with a lead seal, affixed and issued by the Aulnager, in the 16th Century this duty was in the care of the More family of Loseley, in the outskirts of Guildford.

Sadly very few of these lead seals still exist, as most were exported along with the wool products, a drawing of one is the only copy that is held in the Guildford Museum.

By the 17th century, Guildford cloth manufacture was in decline, but still played an important part in the town’s affairs. Following the civil war, and with an acute shortage of money throughout England, 16 different Guildford tradesmen together with borough officials got together to issue their own unofficial tokens. All but one of these tokens was for the farthing denomination, and carried an image of the woolsack and castle. The one exception being for a halfpenny issued by John May a ‘shoomaker’.

The brass farthing tokens issued in Guildford and elsewhere during this period has led to the saying ‘So poor, he hadn’t even got two brass farthings to rub together’, official minted farthings have never been struck in brass.

The most significant event in Guildford’s development at this time was Parliament’s approval of the creation of the Wey Navigation, completed in 1653, this waterway connected Guildford to the River Thames. The opening of this waterway enabled John Smallpeece, a local grocer to visit London and so greatly expanding the range of goods like exotic spices he could offer. His farthing token depicts on one side the woolpack and castle and on the other a barge with 4 men rowing.

Thomas Wilmot lived in Shalford a village ‘neere’ Guildford issued 4 tokens which are now referred to as ‘the Postman Tokens’ as one depicts a man wearing a high crowned hat, with a staff and a bag across his shoulder.

The end of the 18th century was the second occasion when emergency local and unofficial money needed to be issued throughout the country. Just two halfpenny tokens were circulated in Guildford at this time. One had a portrait of Bishop Blaise, the Patron Saint of Woolcombers, holding a woolcomb with a woolpack in front of him. The words ‘success to the woolen manufactory’ is ironic since the woollen industry had died out in Guildford 100 years earlier. Other tokens from the 18th century appear in pristine condition and seen to have been minted as collectible pieces.

Drunkenness was a major problem in Guildford as else in late Victorian times. Several public-spirited people tried to combat the problem. The Royal Arms Guildford Token was issued to reward cattle drovers and stockmen with One Pennyworth of (Non-alcoholic) refreshment. They had driven their charges to market, tended them until they had been sold and the new owner had collected them, for this service they were rewarded by the auctioneer with a metal chit.

School attendance tokens were awarded for one week’s attendance at school, they have the abbreviation APC – attendance, punctuation, conduct. 6 of the round tokens could them be exchanged for one oval token, which could them be exchanged for 6d paid into their post office account.

Examples of more recent tokens include the co-op tokens, a blue one was issued for the prepayment of a large loaf which would be delivered to the customer’s house, (such tokens are still in use in Carlisle).

Other paranumismatic items on display included loyalty tokens, time pay and tool checks.

John laid down a challenge to the club members that Reading’s paranumismatics history is equally interesting to Guildford’s and as yet remains undocumented, and then presented the club with an illustrated copy of his talk, which if club members are interesting in reading will be kept in the library. All in all an extremely interesting talk to 18 club members.

Will members yet to renew their subscription please see Peter at the next meeting or send same to the club secretary. Membership cards will be sent shortly to paid-up members.

Future Events.

Midland Coin Fair, National Motorcycle Museum – 8^th August

Warwick & Warwick Auction, Warwick – 11^th August

London Coins Bracknell – 4^th & 5^th September

Croydon Coin Auction, United Reformed Church Hall – 7^th September

Past Events

• One year ago Michael Gouby gave a talk on "Evolution of Money"
• Ten years ago Mick Martin gave a talk on "Soho's Anti-forgery Experiments"
• Thirty years ago Barry Greenaway spoke on "A Roman Hoard"