Coins, Tokens, Historical Medals, Paper Money and Numismatic Books

Gardens, TICKETS and PASSES, Gardens, SOUTHWARK, Finch’s Grotto Gardens, 1768, silver, grotto gardens and date within wreath, rev. crossed trumpet and violin, ribbon behind, no. 500, 30mm, 9.82g (W 1318, this piece illustrated; D & W –). Very fine, olive tone, extremely rare £400-500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Tickets and Passes of London from the David Young Collection.

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Provenance: Bt Baldwin June 1997.

Finch’s Grotto Gardens, St George’s Fields, Southwark, was based on a property inherited by the herald painter Thomas Finch (†October 1770) from an aunt. Finch opened the attraction on 17 May 1760, which centred on a grotto built over a mineral spring. Engaging those performing artistes mostly in the decline of their careers, the venture was not destined to endure and, inherited by his widow Grace, it had closed by 1775; the adjoining house was demolished and a workhouse built on the site