15thtokens

Lead tokens - classic designs are long cross and weave/flower patterns Lead, as it is soft and prone to oxidisation, has rarely been used for coinage proper, and never in England. However, since it is cheap and easy to melt and cast, coin-like objects of lead, and sometimes also of pewter and tin, were widely produced in medieval times up to the nineteenth century. These lead pieces probably had a range of functions, perhaps a cheaper versions of reckoning counters and as token coinage in small scale dealings, and more certainly, as chits, tickets or passes. Ecclesiastical bodies used such tokens to register attendance at services. In most cases it is impossible to ascribe a particular function to these lead pieces.
The primary reference on British lead tokens is the two part work by M.Mitchiner and A.Skinner in the British Numismatic Journal: The Powell system for lead tokens is a high-level classification which aims to enable the ordinary numismatist, detectorist or archaeologist to get a handle on this vague and rather complicated series {indeed, a large number of often indeterminately–related subseries}, without descending into a level of categorisation which quickly becomes unwieldy. It aims for practical ease of description, rather than fine granularity; the latter, coveted by students of other series, is not usually viable for crude lead. Powell Classification link LIST OF TYPES The list of types in the Powell classification system is as follows: 1 Symbolic petalled flower 2 Initials 3 Segments 4 Lis 5 Anchors 6 Ship 7 Hatching, or grid 8 Numeral 9 Irregular or compound geometric 10 Heads and busts 11 Tavern utensils 12 Quartered geometric 13 Framework 14 Crosses 15 Religious 16 Arms, shields or heraldic designs 17 Trees, plants and their produce 18 Birds 19 Animals, including fish and insects 20 Merchant marks & other monograms 21 Inanimate objects 22 {spare} 23 Buildings 24 Obscure characters 25 Misc objects {royal and imperial} 26 Misc objects {celestial} 27 Obscure objects 28 Outer rim or grènetis/wreath series 29 Words or significant abbreviations 30 Unaccompanied simple designs 31 Circular or elliptical geometric 32 People, other than heads 33 Body parts, other than heads and hearts Lead tokens Roman to 1700 AD
1 Symbolic petalled flower Formerly just called petalled flower, but renamed to reflect that actual flower heads are now no longer included. There was some debate earlier as to whether they should be. Apart possibly from initials, the commonest type. The number of petals usually varies between three and six, with five or six being the most frequent. Occasional pieces, usually larger, have the petals superimposed on a second design. Occasional overlaps and hybrids:  The intention of type 1 is to accommodate the ancient stock design where an array of petals reach to the rim. Where the head of an actual flower is shown rather than this formal stylistic one, and does not reach to the rim, this goes into type 17.




2 Initials Initials {type 2}: Includes all sides where the initials are dominant, or equivalent in prominence to that of any random or aimless ornamentation. If there is significant other identifiable design accompanying the initials, the side is a type 2 hybrid; although sides where small initials flank the main design will be classified according to that design if the latter is dominant. Items with both initials and numbers but nothing else are regarded as type 2, the initials being seen as dominant. Occasional overlaps and hybrids:  Type 2 is normally unambiguous on British pieces, except for the initials IS; whereupon it is difficult to distinguish between a genuine pair of initials, type 2, and a retrograde numeral 12, type 8. The latter number occurs frequently on hop tokens.  On Roman pieces, it is often not possible to distinguish between initials, abbreviation sand full words, rendering distinction between types 2 and 29 difficult.  On Roman pieces also, it is sometimes also not easy to determine whether one or more letters are a Roman numeral, rendering distinction between type 2 and 8 difficult.  There is a combination IWC occasional seen, although it is not obvious that that is intended; it sometimes has stars in the filed, and may have a religious significance. These is amongst the most difficult pieces to place and, depending on what is the most prominent feature, may be assigned to type 2, 24, 26 or 9


3 Segments Segments {type 3}: Includes any side consisting of three or more segments emanating from the centre, except that quartered designs: a. classify under type 12 if they have any regular design other than crosses and pellets. b. classify under type 14 if they are simple crosses or crosses with pellets in the centre of the quarters, i.e. pseudo-medieval pennies. c. remain here if they are cartwheel type pieces with the pellets near the perimeter,i.e. are not intended to imitate the mediaeval penny. Occasional overlaps and hybrids:  As stated above, it can be possible to distinguish type 3 from type 14. The choice should be made a far as possible by estimating the apparent intent to imitate the mediaeval penny, but there are cases where it is a close call.

4 Lis

5 Anchors Anchor {type 5}: Fairly non-controversial. Occasional overlaps and hybrids:  None. Whilst the anchor may sometimes have some religious significance, such cannot be distinguished from maritime uses, pub names etc; in addition to which, the anchor is not commonly regarded as religious, so there is never intent to assign it to

6 Ship Ship {type 6}: Likewise fairly non-controversial. Occasional overlaps and hybrids:  Only when a design is so poorly drawn that one cannot fathom whether it was intended as a ship or an irregular geometric, type 9

7 Hatching, or grid Hatching {type 7}: Includes those sides where the entire surface is hatched in an identical manner; where the hatching is quartered, it becomes type 12. Various granularities of grid may be observed. Occasional overlaps and hybrids:  None


8 Numeral Numeral {type 8}: Some of these are probably hop tokens, and a pseudo-weight has been seen. In addition to sides with low numbers indicating a specific value, those with dates and nothing else also come under this category. Occasional overlaps and hybrids:  Where numbers occur in conjunction with another feature the latter now determines the type, rather than the design being considered hybrid as formerly. The most frequent combination of numbers is with initials, i.e. type 2 {q.v}


10 Heads and busts Heads or busts {type 10}: Most of the English pieces are pseudo-coin designs which mimic the obverses of major series, e.g. Edward I pennies, although that is not invariably so. Extremely common on tesserae, where they can represent gods, personifications {of attributes}, emperors or private individuals. Whole bodies, rather than heads, are type 32, whilst other isolated body parts, e.g. hands or legs, go in type 33. Occasional overlaps and hybrids:  None; fairly non-controverisal.

11.Tavern utensils {type 11}: Bottles, jugs etc.; anything related to eating, drinking, smoking or any other activity which might normally be associated with an inn or public house. Bob Alvey allocated this number to bottles specifically, but I have extended the application. Occasional overlaps and hybrids:  None. Design fairly non-controverisal, although usage can relate to either the public house or the church. It is not always possible to distinguish whether casual refreshment or the eucharist is referred to, and no attempt is made to.




12 Quartered geometric Quartered geometric {type 12}: Any quartered design where the number of segments is necessarily four, except simple cartwheels, which are type 3 or 14 as previously discussed. Cases where the four quarters are two mirror-imaged pairs, which one might more correctly called halved geometrics, now reside, since revision 1, in type 34. One very common type 12 piece consists of four quarters containing alternate horizontal and vertical lines, suspected of representing the design of a millstone. Occasional overlaps and hybrids:  No problems other than the ambiguities raised with types 3,14 and 34 raised by the above problems


13.Frameworks {type 13}: This accommodates a number of designs which border between the abstract and the real, and which may actually represent objects, the nature of which cannot be determined. The design does not cover the whole side, or at least not without significant variation; if it did, it would belong to type 9. Occasional overlaps and hybrids:  The ladder does genuinely occur as an object on tesserae, albeit rarely, and some British type 13s might also be intended as such. This means that there is a potential ambiguity between type 13 and type 21


14. Crosses {type 14}: Not necessarily religious, although it may be. The cross should not obviously be the single letter X; if it does, the piece belongs in type 2, if British, or type 8, if Roman; otherwise, any design, abstract or real, which: a. depicts two crossed lines or objects only as the major device, or b. indicates by the central positioning of any pellets within the quarters of a cross that it is meant to simulate the mediaeval penny. Wide crosses with gridded arms, and occasionally paddles at the tips, now remain in type 14 provided there is no extra subject matter other than casual ornamentation {e.g. pellets or annulets}. A few of them resemble mill-sail sets, and were formerly assigned to the now- obsolete type 22. Quite frequent is a small dumpy piece, conical and hence much thicker than anything else in the series; one suspects, albeit without too much proof, that it might have been used as part of a game. Occasional overlaps and hybrids:  Ambiguities with types 2,8 and 12 exist, some of them rarely encountered; that with type 3, where on occasion there can be some difficulty as to whether a cross rather than a cartwheel is intended, can be more difficult. If the cross is regular, type 14 is usually assumed; but if the arms are splayed so that the angles depart significantly from 90 degrees, type 3 may occasionally be preferred.  On a Roman piece, a single X is assumed to be a number, i.e. type 8. Very unusual double sided type 14 medieval lead token Very rare find, 15thC type 2 lead long cross and pellets lead token but with a detailed obverse. Appears to be two sword/daggers with the letter N


15.Religious {type 15}: Anything which depicts obvious religious symbolism or use, e.g. a crozier or a mitre, apart from simple crosses covered by type 14 above. Pieces which are known to have had religious use but which have designs which are not obviously religious should be categorized as if they were secular; the categorization refers to design, not use. Ecclesiastic officials, e.g. bishops, monks, pilgrims and saints, should be classified as type 10 or 32 according to how much of their body is visible. Occasional overlaps and hybrids:  Drinking vessels tend always to go in type 11, regardless of whether their usage is secular or religious; which, frequently, one cannot tell.  There is frequent difficulty in determining whether an inanimate object with religious associations should be in type 21 rather than 15, especially when the religious connotation is quite obscure.  A single star of David would be assigned to type 30 if unadorned and to type 9 if embellished, on the grounds that random design rather than Jewish origin is the more likely reason.  Many ancient pieces depict full-length people in the act of sacrificing. These go in type 32 by preference, because the person is more prominent than the reason for the act

16 Arms, shields or heraldic designs Arms, shields or heraldic designs {type 16}: Anything where the major type is a shield or other form of compound heraldic device; takes preference over the types pertaining to the particular subject matter, except that single royal symbols remain in type 25. Occasional overlaps and hybrids:  Little ambiguity, except where occasionally part of the shield goes off the flan, in which case a judgment has to be made as to whether a shield is intended or whether the supposed remaining part of it is just a collection of geometric doodles.  There can also be doubt as to whether the content on the shield is royal or not, causing doubt as to whether the piece goes in type 16 or 25.  Shields with one or more lis on are debatably type 4 or 16; and, if crowned 4,16 or 25.

16thC Elizabeth 1st lead token 2.75g, 17.85mm - Portcullis with E at centre Obv ***** ERIXE.DEI Rev XXIIII
17thC token like the Obv of a Charles 1st coin with the shield and harp. The legend reads SVFFOLK which means it is a Suffolk token


17.Trees, plants and their produce {type 17}: Anything botanical except national symbols, e.g. the rose covered by type 25, and the ancient stylised petal design of type 1. Occasional overlaps and hybrids:  Ambiguity usually only arises in the two cases, regarding types 1 and 25, mentioned above.  Occasionally flower heads are encountered which are more realistic or decorative than the stylised type 1; these go in type 17.




18 Birds Birds {type 18}: Any birds except national symbols, e.g. the eagle covered by type 25. Occasional overlaps and hybrids:  Usually fairly non-controversial, ambiguity only arising in rare cases where the creature cannot be recognized with certainty a bird. Depending on the alternative conjectures, a would-be bird could be confused with a variety of other types, most noticeably type 32.

19. Animals, including fish and insects {type 19}: Self explanatory. Same proviso regarding national symbols as the last two types. Fish are rare on British pieces and insects virtually unknown; on tesserae, both are occasional, the dolphin being the most common. Occasional overlaps and hybrids Very few ambiguities, except as with type 18 where poor condition prevents identification of the subject matter. It is common not to be able to distinguish which of a number of animals is intended, but in any case they are all type 1

20.Merchant marks & other monograms {type 20}: These were frequently used by the more prominent tradesmen until at least the late 17th century. Occasional overlaps and hybrids:  Usually fairly non-controversial; only an outside chance of confusing a merchant mark with a type 9 geometric doodle. The fact that merchant parks were usually well-executed helps keep the distinction clearer

21.nanimate objects {type 21} This type, formerly handled as per Appendix A, previously only related to trade equipment and produce, other than milling; it has now taken on a wider meaning, as a consequence of which types 21 and 27 have been combined. Because most inanimate objects prove ultimately to have some likely relation to trade and business, even if only indirectly as a business sign, the original number for trade pieces, 21, has been retained for the combined category. There are certain types of inanimate object which have their own categories, e.g. 11 for eating and drinking utensils, 13 for structures, 16 for shields; where this is the case, these types should take preference. Occasional overlaps and hybrids:  Symbols which take the form of trade guild arms, depicted on a shield, go in type 16.  Some depictions cannot be clearly distinguished as to whether, for example, they are gloves and boots rather than hands and feet. The practice was at one type to put them to put these into the inanimate category, but new type 33 and 36 have since been created

23.Buildings {type 23}: Any buildings other than mills, which go in type 22. A variety with three very thin towers is believed to be a late mediaeval tax token. Occasional overlaps and hybrids:  Fairly non-controversial, although very rarely there might be confusion with an irregular geometric of type 9, if the intention of a minimally-skilled engraver was not obvious


24.Obscure characters {type 24}: Any characters which are not obviously letters {type 2} or numbers {type 8}, although they may be crude attempts at one or the other. Occasional overlaps and hybrids:  The only confusion arises from whether the characters can be identified or not; a decision one way would assign to type 2 or 8, a decision the other to type 24.

25.Miscellaneous Objects, Royal {type 25}: Symbols such as crowns, roses, eagles and the like. The late Elizabethan pieces with double-headed eagle on one side and crowned rose on the other, c.1570-1600, are a notable example, although they are not part of the run of crude agricultural pieces. Occasional overlaps and hybrids:  The main confusion arises from whether the items depicted are interpreted as royal or not; a decision one way would assign to one of a variety of types {e.g. 4,16,17,18, 19}, a decision the other way to type 25.  Crowned heads are assigned to type 10, i.e. that type takes preference.  Shields with one or more lis on are debatably type 4 or 16; and, if crowned, 4, 16 or 25

26.Miscellaneous Objects, Celestial {type 26}: This contains such items as the sun, moon, and stars; also globes, although these could be a reference to a tavern or playhouse of such a name, rather than to the heavens. There were two total eclipses of the sun visible from England in 1715 and 1724, and it is conjectured that these may have been the inspiration for the occasionally found crescent and stars type. That of 1715 was particularly spectacular, covering most of England in an approximately diagonal North-Eastern sweep; the northern boundary of totality passed through Lancashire and Yorkshire, and the southern through mid-Kent. That of 1724 described an East-South-Eastern path across the West and South of England, the northern boundary running somewhere along the line of Aberystwyth- Gloucester-Eastbourne; a larger number of the lead token areas, which are predominantly eastern, are likely to have escaped totality, although they would still nearly all have experienced a very great dimming of light. Occasional overlaps and hybrids:  The only confusion arises on cartwheels with short limbs which may represent a radiant sun. If the cartwheel’s spokes are significantly short of the rim and are not bounded by an outer circle, the piece is considered to be a type 26 rather than a type 3, especially if it depicts a central hub.


27.Obscure objects {type 27}: This type was formerly "Miscellaneous Objects, Secular" {type 27}, and handled as described in Appendix A. Nearly all the items which formerly populated it have been reassigned to type 21, with type 27 only being retained as a sump for those items which cannot be identified. Effectively type 27 is now to type 21 for objects what type 24 is to type 2 and 8 for characters

28.Outer rim or grènetis/wreath {type 28}: The former practice of describing all grenetis pieces as type 28, and handling them as per Appendix A, has been abandoned. This type will now only be used when there is a grenetis and nothing else; for all other pieces:  the type number will be determined by the design content within the grenetis  the grenetis itself will be treated as a supplementary property, lending itself to some such of "Type N with grenetis {or wreath, as appropriate}", accompanied often by some specifics as to the type of grenetis. A wreath is merely seen as a specific type of grenetis, and treated similarly.

29.Words or significant abbreviations {type 29}: Complete words or names are rare on British lead tokens, but not unknown; on Roman, they are quite common. Occasional overlaps and hybrids:  There can be some doubt on occasion, in the Roman series, as to whether a word or a set of initials is intended. If three letters are thought with reasonable probability to constitute an abbreviation, type 29 takes preference; otherwise type 2.  Similarly, an abbreviation and a Roman numeral can be confused; if X is involved a number is assumed, on balance, otherwise it is assumed to be an abbreviation or set of initials

30.Unaccompanied simple designs {type 30}: Accommodates pieces which contain one or more of a single type of simple geometric design, the latter not being identifiable as objects capable of inclusion in type 21 or 27; as opposed to obscure blobs, which are unclassified until identified. Groups of pellets are the most frequent example; one piece has been seen which is reminiscent of a Durotrigan stater.

31.Circular or elliptical geometric {type 31}: Either a set of concentric circles/ellipses, with or without a central hub, or a design consisting primarily of circles/ellipses and their fragments.

32.People {type 32}: Anyone standing, sitting, riding, walking, running or lying down; in other words, anything which shows the whole person, rather than a mere head or bust. The latter go in type 10, whilst other isolated body parts, e.g. hands or legs, go in type 33. Excessively common in the Roman series, and also in those mediaeval series, e.g. French, which depict patronal saints. Occasional overlaps and hybrids:  Full length depictions of people riding animals are type 32 rather than type 18

33.Body parts, other than heads and hearts {type 33}: An attempt was made during the first revision to remove parts of the human body, which did not obviously fit elsewhere, from types 21 and 27 {q.v}. Hearts were placed here during the first revision, but were further removed to type 36 during the second

34. Halved geometrical {type 34}: An attempt during the first revision to remove from type 12 those designs which are based on halving rather than quartering of the main field.

35.Toothcomb or halfbeard {type 35}: Introduced during the first revision to accommodate certain pieces found in Forgeais, this is an exclusively French type, borrowed from certain elements of their local coinage, in which the lower half of the design consists of a series of parallel lines. The upper part can be various, but often appears as the components of a face, albeit sometimes rather strangely rendered. In practice this may just be some combination of crosses, annulets and pellets which comes across as nose and eyes. J.N.Roberts' "Silver Coins of Mediaeval France", p.269, explains that the type derives from the French region of Champagne, where a numismatic pun was effected by putting a comb {peigne} in the field {champ} of a coin.

36.Hearts {type 36}: These being fairly obviously symbolic, rather than representation of actual body parts, have now been removed from type 33, where they were placed by the first revision

37Scenery {type 37}: Self-explanatory, although very rare on lead