Soho Mint - A World First!
John Wilkinson, Iron Master, Half Penny Token, Reverse, Soho Mint,1792
Matthew Boulton’s original and abiding intention for his Mint was the production of large quantities of copper coinage for the British Government. The delays, caused by several different difficulties, in awarding him the contract for regal coppers meant that a lot of very expensive equipment was lying idle. So, with a degree of reluctance, Boulton accepted orders for ‘provincial halfpence’ from the earliest days of his Mint’s existence. The first tokens to leave Soho were the Roe and Cronebane pieces, which were shipped in September 1789, a few months after the completion of the Mint.
The following list contains information collected about each of the tokens issued for Great Britain and Ireland, the date shipped from Soho, where known, the date and denomination of the token, the general name applied, and the name of the customer for whom it was struck. Total numbers issued are more problematic. Sometimes these are known with complete accuracy, sometimes they can be calculated from the weight of copper used, and sometimes they are estimated from the best knowledge available.
● Great credit is due to Dr Richard G Doty, who collected much of this information for his book ‘Soho Mint and the Industrialisation of Money.’
Macclesfield Halfpenny, dated 1789
Struck For: Roe & Company, Macclesfield, Cheshire
Designer: Engraver:
Weight: Approx 36 coins per 1lb of copper
Mintage: Estimated to be around 600,000 pieces
Shipped from Soho: September 1789
1789 September
Cronebane Halfpenny, dated 1789
Struck For: Roe & Company, Macclesfield/Allied Irish Mine Co
Designer: Engraver:
Weight: Approx 36 coins per 1lb of copper
Mintage: Estimated to be around 1,000,000 pieces
Shipped from Soho: September 1789
1789 September
Anglesey ‘Druid’ Halfpenny, dated 1789
Struck For: Thomas Williams/Parys Mine Company, Anglesey
Designer: Hancock Engraver:
Weight: 28,350lbs struck. Approx 35 coins per 1lb of copper
Mintage: Estimated to be around 992,250 pieces
Shipped from Soho: September 1789
Wilkinson Halfpenny, dated 1790
Struck For: John Wilkinson, Iron Master
Designer: Hancock Engraver: Dumarest
Weight: 603lbs struck. Approx 32 coins per 1lb of copper
Mintage: Estimated to be around 19,296 pieces
Shipped from Soho: June 1790
1790 October
Anglesey ‘Druid’ Halfpenny, dated 1790
Struck For: Thomas Williams/Parys Mine Company, Anglesey
Designer: Dumarest Engraver: Dumarest
Weight: Approx 32 coins per 1lb of copper
Mintage: Estimated to be a few dozen patterns only
Shipped from Soho: late October 1790
Wilkinson Halfpenny, dated 1790
Struck For: John Wilkinson, Iron Master
Designer: Hancock Engraver: Dumarest
Weight: 11,228lbs 4oz struck. Approx 36 coins per 1lb of copper
Mintage: Estimated to be around 404,217 pieces
Shipped from Soho: January 1791
1791 July
Southampton Halfpenny, dated 1791
Struck For: Taylor, Moody & Company, Southampton
Designer: Engraver: Dumarest
Weight: Approx 40 coins per 1lb of copper
Mintage: See below
Shipped from Soho: July 1791 but returned as unsatisfactory by customer
1791 September
Anglesey ‘Druid’ Halfpenny, dated 1791
Struck For: Thomas Williams/Parys Mine Company, Anglesey
Designer: Hancock Engraver: Dumarest
Weight: 35,962lbs struck. Approx 32 coins per 1lb of copper
Mintage: Estimated to be around 1,150,784 pieces
Shipped from Soho: September 1791
1791 October
Cornish Halfpenny, dated 1791
Struck For: John Vivian/Cornish Metal Company
Designer: Dumarest Engraver: Dumarest
Weight: Approximately 1 ton struck. Approx 32 coins per 1lb of copper
Mintage: Estimated to be around 76,070 pieces
Shipped from Soho: October 1791
1791 October
Glasgow Halfpenny, dated MDCCXCI (1791)
Struck For: Gilbert Shearer & Company, Glasgow
Designer: Dumarest Engraver: Dumarest
Weight: Approx 36 coins per 1lb of copper
Mintage: Estimated to be around 82,148 pieces
Shipped from Soho: October 1791 - the first shipment of these tokens.
1791 October
Southampton Halfpenny, dated 1791
Struck For: Taylor, Moody & Company, Southampton
Designer: Engraver: Dumarest
Weight: Approx 40 coins per 1lb of copper
Mintage: Estimated to be around 160,000 pieces
Shipped from Soho: October 1791 after having been cleaned at Soho. See above
Glasgow Halfpenny, dated MDCCXCI (1791)
Struck For: Gilbert Shearer & Company, Glasgow
Designer: Dumarest Engraver: Dumarest
Weight: Approx 36 coins per 1lb of copper
Mintage: Estimated to be around 401,693 pieces
Shipped from Soho: February 1792 - a second shipment of the 1791 tokens
1792 July
Anglesey ‘Druid’ Penny, dated 1791
Struck For: Thomas Williams/Parys Mine Company, Anglesey
Designer: Hancock Engraver:
Weight: 2,128lbs struck. Approx 16 coins per 1lb of copper
Mintage: Estimated to be around 34,320 pieces
Shipped from Soho: July 1792 - the last of the ‘Druid’ tokens
1792 August
Wilkinson Halfpenny, dated 1792
Struck For: John Wilkinson, Iron Master
Designer: Hancock Engraver: Dumarest
Weight: 2,354lbs 9oz struck. Approx 40 coins per 1lb of copper
Mintage: Estimated to be around 94,183 pieces
Shipped from Soho: August 1792
1792 August
Southampton Halfpenny, dated 1791
Struck For: Taylor, Moody & Company, Southampton
Designer: Engraver: Dumarest
Weight: Approx 40 coins per 1lb of copper
Mintage: Estimated to be around 26,255 pieces
Shipped from Soho: August 1792 - a second tranche of the 1791 tokens
Leeds Halfpenny, dated 1793
Struck For: Henry Brownbill/Samuel Birchall, Leeds
Designer: Ponthon Engraver: Ponthon
Weight: Approx 40 coins per 1lb of copper
Mintage: Estimated to be around 172,233 pieces
Shipped from Soho: March 1793 - first tranche - mintage includes the second tranche
1793 December
Inverness Halfpenny, dated 1793
Struck For: Macintosh, Inglis & Wilson, Inverness
Designer: Küchler Engraver: Küchler
Weight: Approx 42 coins per 1lb of copper
Mintage: Estimated to be around 122,577 pieces
Shipped from Soho: December 1793
1793 December
Wilkinson Halfpenny, dated 1793
Struck For: John Wilkinson, Iron Master
Designer: Hancock Engraver: Dumarest
Weight: Approx 40 coins per 1lb of copper
Mintage: Estimated to be around 92,553 pieces
Shipped from Soho: December 1793
Lancashire Halfpenny, dated 1794
Struck For: Daniel Eccleston, Lancaster
Designer: Ponthon Engraver: Ponthon
Weight: Approx 48 coins per 1lb of copper
Mintage: Estimated to be around 109,247 pieces
Shipped from Soho: August 1794
1794 November
Inverness Halfpenny, dated 1794
Struck For: Macintosh, Inglis & Wilson, Inverness
Designer: Küchler Engraver: Küchler
Weight: Approx 42 coins per 1lb of copper
Mintage: Estimated to be around 96,668 pieces
Shipped from Soho: November 1794 - the second year of issue
Swainson’s Halfpenny, undated
Struck For: Isaac Swainson, Frith Street, London
Designer: Ponthon Engraver: Ponthon
Weight: Unknown
Mintage: Estimated to be around 12 patterns only
Shipped from Soho: Unknown
1795 January
Ibberson’s Halfpenny, undated
Struck For: Christopher Ibberson, The George & Blue Boar, Holborn, London
Designer: Ponthon Engraver: Ponthon
Weight: Approx 48 coins per 1lb of copper
Mintage: Patterns only, scarce but not rare
Shipped from Soho: January 1795
1795 March
Wilkinson Halfpenny, dated 1795
Struck For: John Wilkinson, Iron Master
Designer: Hancock Engraver: Dumarest
Weight: Approx 40 coins per 1lb of copper
Mintage: Estimated to be around 86,448 pieces
Shipped from Soho: March 1795 - the last of the Wilkinson tokens
1795 October
Inverness Halfpenny, dated 1795
Struck For: Macintosh, Inglis & Wilson, Inverness
Designer: Küchler Engraver: Küchler
Weight: Approx 46 coins per 1lb of copper
Mintage: Estimated to be around 79,316 pieces
Shipped from Soho: October 1795 - the third year of issue
1795 October
Hornchurch Halfpenny, undated
Struck For: George Cotton, Romford, Essex
Designer: Engraver:
Weight: Approx 48 coins per 1lb of copper
Mintage: Estimated to be around 10,565 pieces
Shipped from Soho: October 1795
1795 December
Dundee Halfpenny, undated
Struck For: William Croom, Dundee
Designer: Engraver:
Weight: Approx 46 coins per 1lb of copper
Mintage: Estimated to be around 53,499 for two consignments
Shipped from Soho: December 1795 - the first shipment
Upper Canada Halfpenny, undated
Struck For: Gov. John Graves Simcoe, Upper Canada
Designer: Ponthon Engraver: Ponthon
Weight: Unknown
Mintage: Estimated to be around 10 original and 50 restrikes only
Shipped from Soho: Unknown
1796 February
Dundee Halfpenny, undated
Struck For: William Croom, Dundee
Designer: Engraver:
Weight: Approx 46 coins per 1lb of copper
Mintage: Estimated to be around 53,499 for two consignments
Shipped from Soho: February 1796 - the second shipment
1796 February
Inverness Halfpenny, dated 1796
Struck For: Macintosh, Inglis & Wilson, Inverness
Designer: Küchler Engraver: Küchler
Weight: Approx 46 coins per 1lb of copper
Mintage: Estimated to be around 85,524 pieces
Shipped from Soho: February 1796 - the fourth and final year of issue
1796 June
Stort Navigation Halfpenny, dated 1795
Struck For: Sir George Jackson, Bt. Bishops Stortford
Designer: Küchler Engraver: Küchler
Weight: 562lbs struck. Approx 44 coins per 1lb of copper
Mintage: Estimated to be around 24,728 pieces
Shipped from Soho: June 1796 - Boulton’s favourite token!
1796 August
Penryn Halfpenny, apparently dated 1794
Struck For: George George
Designer: Küchler Engraver: Küchler
Weight: Approx 40 coins per 1lb of copper
Mintage: Estimated to be around 19,092 pieces
Shipped from Soho: August 1796
1796
Myddelton’s Halfpenny, dated 1796
Struck For: Philip Parry Price Myddelton
Designer: Küchler Engraver: Küchler
Weight: Unknown
Mintage: Estimated to be around 10-20 original patterns only
Shipped from Soho: Unknown
Enniscorthy Halfpenny, apparently dated 1800
Struck For: Robert Woodcock, Enniscorthy, Ireland
Designer: Engraver:
Weight: Approx 58 coins per 1lb of copper
Mintage: Estimated to be around 655,304 pieces
Shipped from Soho: 1801
1802
Arnold Works, sixpence, shilling, halfcrown, crown, undated
Struck For: Davison & Hawksley, Arnold, Nottinghamshire
Designer: Engraver:
Weight:
Mintage: Patterns only, of which the sixpence is least rare, followed by the shilling
Shipped from Soho: 1802 - this is based solely upon the date of a bill in Soho archives
1803 February
Tullamore, thirteen pence (Irish), dated 1802
Struck For: Viscount Charleville, Tullamore
Designer: Hancock Engraver: Hancock
Weight:
Mintage: A first tranche of 4,100 was struck - see also below
Shipped from Soho: February 1803 - Hancock’s last token
1804 July
Tullamore, thirteen pence (Irish), dated 1802
Struck For: Viscount Charleville, Tullamore
Designer: Hancock Engraver: Hancock
Weight:
Mintage: A second tranche of 6,051 was struck - see also above
Shipped from Soho: July 1804
1793 May
Leeds Halfpenny, dated 1793
Struck For: Henry Brownbill/Samuel Birchall, Leeds
Designer: Ponthon Engraver: Ponthon
Weight: Approx 40 coins per 1lb of copper
Mintage: Estimated to be around 172,233 pieces
Shipped from Soho: May 1793 - second tranche of the mintage listed above
