Coins, Paper Money, Tokens and Historical Medals

Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, London (Inst. 1754), a silver award medal by T. Pingo, Britannia seated, receiving honours from Mercury and Minerva, rev. wreath, named (To Mr Iohn Jenkinson, mdccxcv, Waste Land Improved, no. clxi), 43mm, 36.05g (Eimer 9; MI II, 684/401; E 648). Extremely fine £240-300

Sold with an article by the late token collector, W.H. Chaloner, entitled ‘The Agricultural Activities of John Wilkinson, Ironmaster’, from the Agricultural History Review, which makes it clear that, in 1786, Wilkinson became interested in the plan put forward by John Jenkinson, of Yealand, Lancaster, for recovering over 32,000 acres of land occupied by the Lancaster and Milnthorpe Sands by diverting the Kent and other lesser rivers. Wilkinson’s enthusiasm for the project was not shared by neighbouring landowners and the plan never materialised