17th Century Tokens from the Collection of Quentin Archer

Middlesex (Metropolitan), Chancery Lane, Edward Coddington, Farthing, 0.86g/6h (N 8009b, this piece; BW. 496); I.M.F. at the hole in the wall, Farthing, 1651, 1.26g/7h (N 8027; BW. 499); R[ichard] H[illyard], the s ions head tavern, Farthing, 1.03g/6h (N 8033; BW. 500); Randolph Hopley, Farthing, 1.13g/6h (N 8012, this piece; BW. 505); Ralph Hutchinson, Halfpenny, 1.30g/6h (N 8024, this piece; BW. 507) [5]. N 8024 mediocre, others generally fine, N 8033 with ‘river’ patina, N 8012 extremely rare £120-£150

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, 17th Century Tokens from the Collection of Quentin Archer.

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Provenance: *N 8009 Norweb Collection, Spink Auction 212, 28-9 March 2012, lot 600 (part) [from Baldwin]; N 8012 R.A. Nott Collection, Norweb Collection, Spink Auction 212, 28-9 March 2012, lot 599 (part); N 8024 R.J. Carthew Collection, R.A. Nott Collection, Norweb Collection, Spink Auction 212, 28-9 March 2012, lot 599 (part); N 8027 bt June 2009; N 8033 DNW Auction T14, 1 October 2014, lot 464 (part) [from S.H. Monks January 2005].

The St John's Head tavern (also known as the Baptist Head tavern) stood on Chancery lane at the south-east corner of Lincoln's Inn, just within the Liberty of the Rolls. In 1661 it was leased by Richard Hillyard (†1665) and his wife Mary; after Hillyard’s death his widow married John Henthorne, who took over the property and issued a token (BW. 504) in his own name. A year later most of the tavern was pulled down as a precautionary measure as the Great Fire approached, although ultimately Chancery lane escaped the conflagration