THE discovery of a small token in a field at Westcott last year has shed some light on a long-vanished trading practice.
Some 350 years ago, shops, pubs and prominent people sometimes issued their own farthings and halfpennies because of a severe national shortage of small change during the reign of Charles II.
Tokens were made by a number of notable people and premises in Leatherhead and Dorking in the 1660s. The practice was not legal but in view of the despair inflicted on traders, a blind eye was turned on the issuers by the Government until the practice was strictly outlawed after a new coinage of copper halfpennies and farthings was introduced later in the reign of Charles II.
The token was unearthed by a member of the Weald and Downland Metal Detecting Club in November.
Although thin, and in places illegible, there were enough clues in the legend on the token to make identification possible, thanks to an internet reproduction of a book on 17th century tokens which was originally compiled in 1889.
The token, which emerged near the earthworks resulting from the construction of a cycle track close to Lince Lane, was, after close scrutiny, identified as having been issued in Guildford.
On one side is the faint impression of the Castle Gates at Guildford. On the other side is a woolsack emblem.
The town name is spelt "GILFORD" on the token and the date of 1664 is given, as is the name of the issuer, Abdiah Martin.
The 1889 publication states that Martin was a freeman of Guildford, having served his father in apprenticeship for seven years.
He was a proprietor of a piece of ground next to the Tun Inn, in Tunsgate, upon which an annual charge to the Grammar School existed, "as in the rent roll of the Free Grammar School, December 15th 1671, we read: "Abdiah Martin is charged for his garden, and where the mercate house is built, 20d [20 old pennies or 8p]. A piece of Martin's ground was afterwards purchased by Guildford Corporation and the wheat market-house above referred to built upon it." This market-house was, however, let on a lease of 1,000 years to a Mr Steere on June 13, 1737.
Curiously, the reverse of the newly-discovered token appears to have a date of 1652 in the legend. This, according to the Victorian author, was probably because a wrong die had been used in the striking of the farthing token. It would appear that, erroneously, a die prepared for a John Martin in "Gilford" in 1652, during the Commonwealth years, was used instead for one side of the token.
This John Martin was a "poor lad" rising to considerable position and affluence in his native town. The token has been photographed by Surrey finds liaison officer, David Williams and the image, together with a brief description, has been put on the British Museum's Portable Antiquities Scheme website museum showing finds made by the public over the past decade.
In Dorking – or "Darking" as it was frequently spelt in those days – Widow Bothell was one person in town who was highly regarded enough to issue tokens.
In the hearth-tax records of circa 1675, Widow Bothell's tenements paid three shillings per year in the Dorking division of East Burr.
Perhaps related was a William Burr, who was mentioned in the subsidy rolls as having land worth 20 shillings (£1).
An Edward Goodwin, of "Darkin", a man who made candles, also issued tokens.
It is believed the family was one of importance and position in the town.
Barely anything is known of token-issuer Edmond Lissne but a John Penfold, of East Burr, Dorking, is mentioned in records of court proceedings regarding a dispute over land which included stables and a garden.
The list of issuers also contains a William Penfold of "Darking" whose tokens are dated 1666 – the year of the Great Fire of London. He had a property with two hearths and also lived in the East Burr area of town and had stables, a garden and two orchards.
The design of a sugar loaf is featured on one token issued by Thomas Steedman of "Dorkinge in Surrie." In late Victorian times, this unique token was in the possession of the Right Honourable G. Cubitt, Member of Parliament.
Finally, another token issuer was John Watkins "in Darking".
Leatherhead tokens are few but Edward Shalles, of The Crown, was an issuer of a halfpenny token and another was issued by the landlord of the Swan.
Metal detectorist Trevor Munns discovered one of the Swan tokens in a field near Leatherhead and Headley in 2009.
The Swan Inn, or hotel, was a 17th century coaching inn at the foot of the High Street which was demolished in 1936. The Swan shopping centre keeps its memory alive in name.
Tim Everson, an authority on farthings, and former local history officer in Kingston, said it is probable that these tokens could be spent not only at the premises inscribed in the legends, but also at other businesses in town by mutual agreement.
In Surrey, tokens were issued at 55 different places. It is interesting to note the different spellings of the name of the place of issue.
Abinger, for instance, on its solitary token, appears in the older name of Abenworth. Dorking, as well as often being spelled "Darkin" is sometimes spelled "Dorkinge".
Epsom reads "Ebisham" and "Apsum".
Ewell is spelt "Yewell" and "Yewill".
Most token issuers were men but a few were women – one of them was Florence Webb, of Abinger, and another, Margaret Catt, in Reigate.
Their businesses and trades were usually depicted by an emblem representing the coats of arms of their professions.
A man making candles is shown on a Dorking token; sugar loaves probably referring to a grocery trade, appear on Reigate and Dorking tokens, while the staple industry of Guildford is clearly denoted by the fact that of 28 tokens found, 22 bear the woolsack.
