Coins, Paper Money, Tokens and Historical Medals

YORKSHIRE, Pontefract, Pontefract Stand, 1803, an engraved oval silver pass by Peter, Ann and William Bateman, legend, named (R. Horncastle Esq, No. 12), hallmarked London 1803, 40 x 27mm, 8.52g (W –; D & W –). Of bright appearance, fine to very fine, extremely rare £300-400

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Fine Collection of Racing Tickets and Passes, the Property of a North Country Collector.

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Racing is known to have taken place in the meadows near Pontefract as early as March 1648, prior to the castle being taken by the forces of Oliver Cromwell, but these competitions had ceased by 1769. Racing recommenced in 1801 and in 1802 the race committee began selling what amounted to lifetime membership to the course and admission to all meetings to members in possession of a 20-year badge, which funded the course’s first grandstand. The fee for the badge was no less than £50. In the early 1830s the course was in decline and it is said that the owners of the silver badges threatened to dismantle the grandstand unless their grievances were met, but after the coming of the railway and the formation of a new race committee Pontefract continued to prosper. Today’s course is a development of the original racetrack