Rare Richardson's London (Middlesex) copper halfpenny token dated 1795. Obverse: View of a "Bluecoat Boy" (one of the scholars of Christ's Hospital) preparing to draw from an 18th century lottery wheel with a cornucopia of money dividing the date in the exergue and legend: "NOTHING VENTURE NOTHING HAVE 1795". Reverse: Legend on seven lines and round circumference: "RICHARDSON GOODLUCK & CO SOLD NO 12807 THE LAST PRIZE OF £30000 SHARED IN SIXTEENTHS". Plain edge. Listed in Dalton & Hamer as "RARE". Richardson, Goodluck & Co., were stock-brokers and lottery-office keepers with a business at No. 104 Bank Building, Cornhill in the City, and at No. 8 Charing Cross in the West End of London. Goodluck was an old country woman who was made a partner purely for the use of her name. She received a payment of £50.00 per year and had no further interest in the firm. Nice collectable condition but deposit on obverse, see photograph. D&H Middlesex No: 471. Diameter 31.0mm. VF+. £35.00 e-mail David at enquiries@abccoinsandtokens.com to order. |