World Tokens, the Property of a North Country Collector

St Lucia, CASTRIES, Government issue, uniface rectangular labour ticket (authorised July 1831, stamped incuse 45, copper, 38 x 37.5mm (Lyall 475, this piece illuystrated). Pierced as issued, surface somewhat dull with light corrosion, otherwise fine, extremely rare as only one other specimen is known (cf. Roehrs 1283) £200-£300

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, World Tokens, the Property of a North Country Collector.

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Provenance: from a hoard of 150 pieces discovered, in 1970 by Jim Jordan, at the offices of the newly established National Provident Fund, Castries.

See R. J. Devaux, SNC, February 1975, p. 54, for specific details of the july 1831 legislation relating to these historical labour tickets, only issued to qualified labourers, free or slaves. Upon discovery of the hoard authorisation was given for the tickets to be scrapped, but numbers 45 and 71 were saved.