Coins, Tokens and Historical Medals

Exhibitions and Museums, PICCADILLY, Egyptian Hall, Albert Smith, 1860, silver, bust right, rev. albert smith born may 24th 1816 died may 23rd 1860 in 5 lines, 22mm, 4.76g (W 1014, this piece illustrated; BHM 2679; D & W 69/180; Young, Entertainments, p.29, this piece). Very fine and toned, rare £80-£100

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Tickets and Passes of London from the David Young Collection.

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Provenance: Format FPL 44, 1986 (6018); W.J. Noble Collection, Noble Numismatics Pty Auction 61B (Melbourne), 3-4 August 1999, lot 219; A Collection of 19th Century Unofficial Farthings, DNW Auction 70B, 11 July 2006, lot 2078.

Albert Richard Smith (1816-60), b. Chertsey, studied medicine in London and Paris but gave up the profession to pursue a career in journalism and as a playwright. In 1851 he climbed Mont Blanc and for many years afterwards entertained crowds at the Egyptian Hall on a stage set resembling a Swiss alpine chalet. A founder member of the Alpine Club in 1857, he helped to popularise the pursuit of mountaineering in mid-Victorian Britain