Next club meeting Monday 5th October 2015.

·         Sharks and Shipwrecks By Dick Downes.

Meetings are held at the Abbey Baptist Church, Abbey Square, commencing at 7.00 p.m.

 

Notices

 

·         The Xmas dinner is booked for 18.45 on Sat 5 December 2015 at The Cunning Man.  The cost will be £25 per person, details to follow. We will probably be on two tables and we have to pre-order three weeks before. Note that coffee/ mince pie can be chosen in place of a dessert. Please let us know if you want to come by phone, e-mail or at the October meeting.
 

Address: Burghfield Rd, Burghfield Bridge, Reading RG30 3BR

Phone: 0118 959 8067

http://www.vintageinn.co.uk/thecunningmanburghfieldbridge

 

·         Please continue thinking about Short Talks for January, and Auction lots for March!

·         Please note Charing Cross Market will NOT be open on Oct 3rd.

 

September Meeting

 

This meeting was a welcome return from Pam West who talked on Banknote Secrets and also brought along a large selection from her personal collection of interesting Banknotes and errors.

 

The first notes she talked about were the Jersey 6d issues during the Second World War. These had a large SIX engraved on them, which was not unusual in its own right, but when the note was folded in the correct manner, the SIX turned into VE – Victory in Europe. On the shilling there are two men chatting, the secret message being that ‘Careless Talk Costs Lives’ a famous admonishment often seen on War posters.

 

To follow, Pam introduced us to the emergency issues of the Horse Blanket notes in 1969. Close examination revealed that the metal strip had incorporated in it – in Morse code – the message Royal Bank of Scotland. In 1956 a young engraver called Eagen was asked to work on the vignettes for the notes. In the vignette for the Glasgow Bank, he engraved his own name, upside down in the grass foreground and it was many years later that his conscience got to him and he owned up. The plates were re-engraved in 1964 to remove the offending extras.

 

Next, we went to Canada where an anarchist engraver was believed to have added a ‘Devil’s Head’ to the $20 and $100 dollar notes. On later issues the ‘head’ was removed by altering the engraving of the hair.

Then we came to the (in)famous 50 Rupee SEX note. The Palm trees on the right of the note have leaves that spell out SEX. In the same series, the 10 Rupee have the word SCUM under a turtle.

 

Another anomaly occurs with notes from the Clydesdale Bank. The common design for the notes incorporates three symbols, a fish, a bird and a bell, attached to a central tree. The three symbols occur in differing positions and orientations on the different denominations. This was done deliberately so that the cashiers could quickly tell which denomination was which.

 

George IV visited Leith in 1822 and that date was engraved on the notes but continued to be used, even as late as 1838.

 

After the first World War, Germany was required to pay reparations and these became quite onerous and were resented. The engraver of the 10,000 Marks note had the hidden figure of a Vampire sucking the life blood out of the neck of Durer’s ‘Portrait of a young man’ who represented Germany to express the resentment.

 

Another interesting note is the 500 Shilling note from Uganda which has a portrait of an elephant. Much like the famous 1935 English crown the pose of the elephant is apparently anatomically incorrect, and any elephant trying to stand like this would probably fall over!

 

Next, another fantasy – a Disneyland note for the 101 Dalmatians cartoon. Sadly, the first issue had the misspelling ‘Dalmations’. And to finish, back to Scotland for a further misspelling, this time ‘Lotihan’ for Lothian. Proof surely that proofreading is difficult, even for the experts.

 

Pam hadn’t let us into all of her secrets but a very interesting talk. There then followed a question and answer session, including questions about marks on 10/- notes, the use of modern technology in forging- (foiled by the unavailability of the correct paper), the change to polymer notes in the future, the rise and fall of telephone card collectors, the different banknote collector’s clubs internationally, the Bernhards used by the German’s during the Second World War and Bogg’s notes, all of which allowed Pam to show off her encylcopaedic knowledge of all things Banknote.

 

Subscriptions

Be reminded that subscriptions are now due. It would be most appreciated if members yet to renew their subscription would please do so at the next meeting. Please see our treasurer Peter. For anyone who does not pay their subs, the October issue of the newsletter will be the last they receive.

 

Future Events.

  • Coinex, The Millenium Hotel, London – 25th  to 26th September
  • World Paper Money Fair, Bloomsbury Hotel – 2nd  to 3rd October
  • Token Congress, Newbury Hilton – 2nd to 4th October
  • Midland Coin Fair - National Motorcycle museum – 11th October

 

 

 

Past Events

Ten years ago in 2005, John White spoke on “The Life & Times of the Emperor Aurelian”

In 1995 Dave Mc Gurk spoke to us on “An Introduction to Chinese Coins”

In 1975 Patrick Finn spoke to us on “Irish Coins to James I”

Club Secretary.

 

We are very fortunate to have an article written for us by Gavin included with this month’s newsletter. Hopefully this will be first of many!

 

SOME BERKSHIRE COUNTERMARKS

Pigot & Co’s National Commercial Directory for 1830 describes the manufactures of Berkshire as “very limited, its prosperity chiefly depending upon the export and import of commodities by means of the Thames, an excellent general retail trade and its agricultural and horticultural produce, joined to the rearing of all kinds of farming stock.”  The malting trade was highlighted as very extensive, especially in Reading, and the corn market in Newbury was also noted.

The population rose from 74,700 in 1700 to 134,700 in 1821.

Countermarks on coins are known from Abingdon, Aldermaston, Cholsey, Newbury, Reading and Windsor.

The following notes update my previous contributions to the subject.H

 

Abingdon (Population in 1821: 5137) 

CARTHEW/CUTLER/ABINGDON

Incuse on obverse 1797 penny (3 known).

William Carthew was a cutler in Bicester c. 1816-68 who issued several countermarks there.  No cutler of this name is listed in the Abingdon directories.  This shows the parallel pattern of cutlers named Abbey and Robinson in my book and Token Corresponding Bulletin implying the probability of issues by travelling tradesmen.

 

Aldermaston (Population in 1821: 653)

SOPER/ALDERMASTON

Incuse on obverse 1807 penny.

Giles Soper was a whitesmith and ironmonger in 1830.

 

Cholsey (Population in 1821: 975)

JOHN HUNT/CHOLSEY

In an incuse oval on obverse 1797 penny.

John Hunt was a blacksmith in 1830.

MOORE/CHOLSEY to the right of crown on its side.

In relief on a rectangular indent on obverse 1797 penny.

William Moore was a blacksmith and farrier in 1830, David Moore was a smith c. 1840 – 54, John Moore is listed as a gunsmith c. 1847 – 77.  The countermark is more like a gunsmith’s mark that a blacksmith’s mark.

 

 

 

 

Newbury (Population in 1821: 5347)

LONG/NEWBURY

Incuse 3 times on obverse, once on reverse 1806 penny, also known twice on obverse, twice on reverse 1823 farthing.

Thomas Long was a cutler and gas fitter in Bartholomew Street c. 1851 - 54.

TOOMER/NEWBURY

On 1797 penny.   Not illustrated.  Reference Sydney Public Auction 255, Status International, 15 May 2009, Lot 5353 (part).

Thomas Toomer (1760 – 1853) was Mayor of Newbury 1791–92, 1801–02 and 1814–15.  He organised his own census of the town in 1815, showing a population of 5309.  The Toomer family were ironmongers in Newbury from the 17th century – at 4 North Street in 1694.  The premises at 2 and 3 North Street formed “The House of Toomer”.  The countermark was probably issued by Joseph Toomer, cutler and ironmonger in Northbrook Street and Market Place c. 1830–51.

Reading (Population in 1821: 13,264)

BUTLER/READING, LOTT/READING

Incuse on obverse 1797 penny.

C. BUTLER/READING

Incuse on obverse 1797 penny (2 known) and incuse on obverse 1806/7 penny.

C. BUTLER

Incuse twice on obverse 1799 halfpenny, incuse on obverse 1799 halfpenny and incuse on obverse 1797 penny.

Charles Butler was a cutler c. 1824–48 variously at Fisher Row (1824), 28 Middle Row, Broad Street (1826, 1830), 21 London Street (1837–48).

Thomas Lott was a gunsmith in 1796.  Ewell Lott was a gunsmith in Minster Street c. 1823–24.

 

HORNIMAN/READING

Incuse on obverse 1797 penny (6 known), with H.A once on obverse and twice on reverse 1797 penny and incuse in individual letters on obverse 1797 penny (modern concoction).

John Horniman was a tea dealer at 17 Bridge Street in 1840.Countermarks by tea dealers, while unusual, are not unknown.  The countermark looks more like a cutler’s mark, but no cutler of this name is listed in the directories available to me.  Smith and Horniman were umbrella and parasol makers at 8 King Street c. 1830–44 and could be another issuer.

LOTT/READING below crown

In ornamental scroll in relief in shaped indents on obverse George II halfpenny.

LOTT/READING/(scroll ornament) in relief in oval indent below lion rampant left incuse.

On reverse (?) George II or III halfpenny.    

Probably issued by Thomas or Ewell Lott, gunmakers, see above.  Thomas seems more likely as the mark appears to be earlier than the mark associated with Butler.

 

 

MOODY/READING                                           

Incuse on obverse Middlesex Pidcock halfpenny (D & H 454) (Scott 2.1)

Charles Moody was a brewer at 106 Castle Street in 1830 and is shown in the 1826 Voters’ List as a maltster in Eton Place.  While this looks like a mark by a cutler or another manufacturer in the metal trades, no likely issuer of this name has been found.

READING

Incuse twice on obverse 1797 penny.

READ/ING

In 11mm circle in relief in 12mm circular indent on reverse William II halfpenny. (not illustrated – D G Vorley collection.  Bonham’s Sale 18th December 1996 lot 122 – part).

These are assumed to be test strikes of punches used by manufacturers in the metal trades.

Windsor (Population in 1821: 5698)

PRIDIE/WINDSOR/CUTLER/ENGRAVER

Incuse on reverse 1797 penny (2 known)  and incuse on obverse 1806/7 halfpenny (Scott 2.3)

George Pridie was a cutler and engraver in Peascod Street c. 1835 - 53.

 

Gavin Scott

 

H   British Countermarks on Copper and Bronze Coins, Lonon, Spink 1975.

                Token Corresponding Society Bulletin, Volume