Numismatists Tokens and Ephemera, NORTHUMBERLAND, Gosforth, Robert Bell, 1966, copper, by S.G.M. Adams, Dr Bell performing operation, rev. rcb monogram, edge plain, 32mm, 14.28g/12h. Obverse partly toned, otherwise virtually as struck; in original black fitted case £50-£70

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Tokens from the Late David Griffiths Collection.

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Provenance: DNW Auction T4, 13 December 2006, lot 1325.

Robert Charles Bell (1917-2002), surgeon and token collector. Sold with ALS from Bell to Robert Sharman, 21 November 1983, which states: “I enclose, as promised, one of my Private tokens struck by Myers Adams of Leeds. Note ma below exchange on reverse. The anaesthetist is Dr Eustace, the surgeon with back to camera, myself, the sister-figure on the L is sister Simpson, the assistant facing camera I have forgotten, the three nurses behind the instrument trolley from L [to] R are Nurse Carr, Nurse Oxley & I have forgotten the third. It may be Nurse Marshall. The operation was the pollicization of an index finger (making a thumb by transferring & rotating & shortening the index finger [)]. I had 78, & Mr Adams kept 1 in copper, 1 in silver & 1 in gold for himself. I do not know where these are now. M.A. died about 10 yrs ago”