Coins, Tokens and Historical Medals

ARGENTINA, Argentine Park, Buenos Aires, 1828, a copper pass, unsigned, lyre between oak branches, parque argentino, rev. vauxhall and date within wreath, 32mm, 15.94g (W 1367; cf. D & W 88/320). Good very fine £80-100

Provenance: A Collection of Theatre Tickets and Passes, Christie’s Auction, 16 October 1979, lot 377 (part); W.J. Noble Collection, Part II, Noble Numismatics Pty Auction 61B (Melbourne), 3-4 August 1999, lot 814 (part); D. Young Collection.

Mr Alan Judd has kindly contributed the following note on this piece, attributed by all previous writers in error to the Royal Vauxhall Gardens, Lambeth, London, and specifically to a Spanish fête there: “The Argentine Park was inaugurated in 1827 in the city of Buenos Aires. It was the first public garden, in imitation of the great European public gardens, more in order to endow the country with a new institution than with the idea of profit. It was the antecedent of the Botanical Garden of Buenos Aires. The commercial society was formed with a capital of 100,000 pesos; being founding partners several English gentlemen baptized the park with the name Vauxhall”