UK Merchant Tokens - Emergency Coinage Demonetization Date [solved]

Afternoon all,

I have had a request to demonetize some ‘condor’ tokens that don't have a demonetized in their entry and this got me thinking about the date of demonetization for these merchant coins. My research tells me that the coins were illegal to manufacture from 1817 and illegal to use to pay workers from 1831. Therefore the act of 1831 date should be used for the demonetization date on all of the entries for UK merchant tokens used as emergency coinage.

What are other peoples thoughts?

Example coin: Half Penny Token - Bristol - United Kingdom – Numista

I would say yes, there is hardly any argument. What ammount of tokens are we talking about?

Its all the old conder tokens, so about 626 by the looks of it: Merchant tokens from the United Kingdom – Numista

Just noticed you can't search for demonetized objects in the filters so don't know how many aren't already listed as demonetized.

Job for Mr Robot…

The information is listed here: Truck Acts - Wikipedia

15 October 1831 is the date of demonetization by the looks of it.

All set now :)

Looks like you put August instead of October 😜

Ugh. Close enough. I will fix it later.

Hi Peter, just thought I would mention the example link you shared was not a Conder token. The Conders were issued around 1787-97, there was a subsequent issue of tokens, again due to lack of regal coinage, around 1811-14. There is some argument that they were never officially monetised, so possibly can't be demonetised, but either way, they would presumably have different demonetised dates?

Monetization issue is sometimes weird, but I think we can use the date when they were outlawed as “demonetization” date. If there is anything to change, let me know.

radrick007

Hi Peter, just thought I would mention the example link you shared was not a Conder token. The Conders were issued around 1787-97, there was a subsequent issue of tokens, again due to lack of regal coinage, around 1811-14. There is some argument that they were never officially monetised, so possibly can't be demonetised, but either way, they would presumably have different demonetised dates?

Thanks Rick, 

I was using the term condor in the loosest terms. Just the largest group are recognised as condor I suppose. 

They were outlawed by the 1831 legislation whether they were condor or not all tokens were illegal to be used as payment.