William III silver sixpence

[robfinds]

Got these two hard earned finds from a wood yesterday. Pleased with the William sixpence, the reverse though is toast.

Robert.

 

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[robfinds]

Yes, that is correct. This is how many Dad & I have found (below), & we only have about half of that that are not love tokens.

I've had 1 Queen Anne, & a couple of Geo's but most are Will III. They are so smooth, they must have been done in the late 18th C. Some are Shillings, most are Sixpences, but you even get copper halfpennies/farthings as well.

The worn ones are picked because they are close to being out of circulation. Not acceptable as a coin any more, thats why the ones that stayed in circulation where countermarked by silver smiths.

As so many of them turn up, there must be a good reason, can't all be 'just lost'.

Wonder if bending this way, was a way of taking them out of circulation as coins. They would still have their bullion value, so the owner would not be short changed. So perhaps, their not love tokens after all. As you say Cru, a lot of these turn up. Perhaps too many, to be love tokens.

 

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[Erik in NJ]

I think it's unlikely that someone would go through the trouble of bending them twice to take them out of circulation. I understand they were bent in pairs so that only two of them matched perfectly. Perhaps the worn silver coins may have been sold at a discount and because of their state were easier to bend, though I have seen English love tokens made from gold coins, but much less frequently. As Crusader said if the female declined the attention or they fell out, the coin was tossed [in a field]--is probably the best reason many are found. Perhaps the suitor also tossed his as well eventually as he'd need to have another set made and the single love token would be essentially useless other than a "tarnished" (pun intended) memento or bullion--although I'm sure one could still buy a "four of fish [and chips]" with it. I'm not sure what the rules were for removing a worn coin from circulation in the UK (or even here) as I just found a Seated Dime here that was so worn as to have very little detail left. U.S. depression-era silver is often quite worn apparently from changing hands a lot. The sixpence also is featured in the film "Half a Sixpence" so I'm not sure what the significance of that particular coin was regarding love.

Some info regarding the H.G. Well's novel "Kipps:The Story of a Simple Soul" that "Half a Sixpence" was based on:

Kipps falls in love with Sid's younger sister Ann, and Ann gives him half a sixpence as a token of their love when at the age of fourteen he is apprenticed.

Wonder if bending this way, was a way of taking them out of circulation as coins. They would still have their bullion value, so the owner would not be short changed. So perhaps, their not love tokens after all. As you say Cru, a lot of these turn up. Perhaps too many, to be love tokens.

 

[Garrett424]

The reverse may be toast but oh what a beautiful piece of toast it is.

Congrats on your sweet finds.

 

[robfinds]

Hello Erik, understand what you're saying. Got a feeling though something does not add up with these "love tokens" . Simply too many coming up out of the ground.