THE COLLECTION OF BRITISH TOKENS FORMED BY JOHN ROSE TO BE SOLD AT DIX NOONAN WEBB

Almost 500 lots of British Tokens spanning 300 years and covering all corners of the UK from the Collection of John Rose will be offered in a live/online auction by International coins, medals, banknotes and jewellery specialists Dix Noonan Webb on Tuesday, November 17, 2020.

As Peter Preston-Morley, Specialist and Associate Director, Dix Noonan Webb, explains: “John Rose, a familiar figure in the British token collecting fraternity for many years, first developed an interest in coins as a boy. One day in 1969, going through the trays of coins at Aladdins Cave, a shop in South Croydon, he found some tokens, including an example of the 1649 farthing issued at The Ship Inn, on the north corner of Lincoln’s Inn, London, his local pub when he first started work as a laboratory technician at the Royal College of Surgeons. This group is estimated to fetch £150-200.”

The Rose Collection is broad in its scope, but understandably London-centric and particularly so for the 17th century series, which has remained his chief focus throughout his collecting years. Many important pieces are included, and one instance is a very recent purchase, a farthing of Richard Winsper from Lincoln’s Inn Gate (est: £200-300). The 18th century element of the collection also includes some major rarities, notably a highly elusive Godington hop token (est: £150-200) and several silver proofs. From the 19th century there is a superb example of John Robertson’s Newcastle-upon-Tyne halfcrown (est: £400-500), and a rare ‘Chinaman’ halfcrown of Edward Wright of Birmingham (est: £600-800).

The collection includes many wonderfully shaped tokens ranging from hearts to squares as well as many other shapes. As Mr Preston-Morley explains: “Heart-shaped tokens and square-shaped ones were made that way to distinguish them easily from circular ones, most people who used them in the 17th century were not literate and looked at the signs on the tokens rather than the wording – a marketing ploy, if you like!”

Other notable examples, which are illustrated above, include an extremely fine and rare 18th Century Lambeth token, that was made for collectors of the day, and bears the motto I promise to pay on demand the bearer one penny. It is estimated at £800-£1,000. A very fine and rare 18th Century example from Sunderland showing a view of an iron bridge with two vessels passing underneath is estimated at £500-£700. Other interesting items include from London; a very rare 17th Century Token of Newgate Within Prison, dating from 1669 (est: £300-£500) and from Clerkenwell, and 18th century token depicting a man standing with wooden leg, stating Mr Joseph Askins - the celebrated ventriloquist 1796, which is estimated at £300-£400.

Due to the current COVID 19 situation, this auction will be online only and there will be no room bidding available. Customers are able to bid live online (DNW make no additional charge for this service) or leave commission bids prior to the auction. Lots may be viewed prior to the sale by appointment only.

FORTHCOMING SALES AT DNW
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14 – INDIAN COINS AND HISTORICAL MEDALS
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15 - ORDERS, DECORATIONS, MEDALS AND MILITARIA
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28 – BRITISH, IRISH AND WORLD BANKNOTES
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3 – COINS AND HISTORICAL MEDALS
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12 - ORDERS, DECORATIONS, MEDALS AND MILITARIA
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17 – THE COLLECTION OF BRITISH TOKENS FORMED BY JOHN ROSE TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24 – JEWELLERY, WATCHES, ANTIQUTIES & OBJECTS OF VERTU
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2 – COINS, TOKENS AND HISTORICAL MEDALS
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10 - ORDERS, DECORATIONS, MEDALS AND MILITARIA

Free online bidding is available is www.dnw.co.uk
For more information, please call 020 7016 1700
DNW are on Social Media
Instagram @dixnoonanwebb
Facebook: dixnoonanwebb
Twitter @dixnoonanwebb
NOTES TO EDITORS:
Dix Noonan Webb – a brief history
In 1991, its first year of trading, the company held three medal auctions and sold 1,200 lots for a total hammer price of £553,000. Two years later it opened a coin department which also auctions commemorative medals and tokens and in 2015 DNW added jewellery to its sales calendar. In 2018, it set up a standalone banknotes department and expanded into premises next door. In the same year, DNW achieved a total hammer price of £11,676,580 and the total number of lots across all departments was 20,273. To date the company has sold in excess of 300,000 lots totalling £155 million.

For further press information and images please contact:
Rachel Aked - Tel: 07790732448/ Email: Rachel@rachelaked.co.uk
September 2020