constanius Posted August 30, 2014 Report Share Posted August 30, 2014 Whitehaven Colliery Carrier's Token. In West Cumberland, the use of metal tokens for accounting for the movement of coal from the pits to the ships, which represented work done and avoided the need for the exchange of money during the process, dates from at least as early as 1670, when they are mentioned in a letter from Sir John Lowther to his Steward, Thomas Tickell, at Whitehaven. The Lowther family of Whitehaven (later Earls of Lonsdale) were the main force behind the development of the West Cumberland coalfield. This 23mm copper token bears their dragon crest, one of several designs used at Whitehaven, with the reverse a cypher of LOWTHER, circa 1690, Finlay No: 18, Mitchiner No: 8534. Info mainly from the Token Corresponding Society website. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art1.2 Posted August 30, 2014 Report Share Posted August 30, 2014 Neat design. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Circus Posted September 3, 2014 Report Share Posted September 3, 2014 Pretty slick looking! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccg Posted September 8, 2014 Report Share Posted September 8, 2014 Dragon? And I thought it was a griffin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
constanius Posted September 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2014 I must say that I agree with you, it does appear to be a griffin but all the descriptions use 'dragon' whether from a numismatic or heraldic source, here is one from 'British Armorial Bindings' (U of T), of a later member of the Lowthers family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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