17TH CENTURY TOKENS OF CORNWALL

A collection of more than 70 fascinating Cornish tokens from the 17th century representing traders spanning the county will be offered in an auction of British Trade Tokens, Tickets and Passes at Noonans Mayfair (16 Bolton Street) on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. Featuring tokens for people who lived in St Keverne; East Looe; Penzance; Liskeard; Lostwithiel; Padstow; Penryn; Truro; Camelford; Falmouth; Helston; Launceston; St. Ives; Fowey, plus many others, The collection was amassed by Cornishman Mac McCarthy over three decades and is estimated to bring up to £15,000.

Peter Preston-Morley, Special Projects Director (Numismatics) at Noonans explains: "Tokens were a currency substitute issued by private individuals, merchants and organisations when governments were not, for various reasons, issuing small change. They are mostly copper, although during the Napoleonic wars silver tokens were also made and circulated."

 
Lot 95 - Liskeard, Joseph Upcott

He continues: "Books focussing on the tokens of certain counties have been published, however no proper illustrated catalogue of the Cornish series has yet been published. Mr McCarthy is aiming to compile such a work."

A previously unpublished and rare farthing dating from 1656 and believed to relate to James Ingleton of St Keverne is estimated at £600-£800 [lot 125]; while from near Liskeard, Joseph Upcott was listed in the administration of his inventory as living in Morval, approximately 3 miles north of Looe and 5 miles south of Liskeard. He died intestate and left his wife, Anne, to sort out his affairs, leaving her with debts of £146 7 shillings and 4 pence. The rare farthing is estimated at £400-500 [lot 95].

 
Lot 110 - Penryn, Ursula Spurr

From Penryn, is a very fine and extremely rare farthing inscribed Ursula Spurr 1668, which is estimated at £400-£500 [lot 110]. As Mr Preston-Morley explained: "Tokens can provide the sort of fascinating, gritty local detail that other records miss when it comes to creating a clear picture of the past and this is one example! There is evidence in the 1658 Will of Vincent Smaley, father of Ursula Spurr, that she was married to an unsatisfactory husband. Smaley left his daughter £8 per year during her husband's life, but if he died, she was then to have £100 per year – presumably he felt the husband was not competent to handle such a large amount of money."

 
Lot 125 - James Ingleton of St Keverne

For more information, or to bid, see:
https://www.noonans.co.uk/

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