It is most disappointing that no record is available of the quantity struck, but by the number of die-varieties of the various Irish series, great quantities must have been struck and circulated, besides the counterfeits, which also by the die-varieties must have been numerous.

The following pieces have not yet been traced, but are included on the authority of Atkins’ work on Tokens, and also from notes that have been supplied by various Collectors :—

CORK. — Nos. 9a, l0a, 13, 16, 17.
DUBLIN. — Nos. 18, 180a, 189a, 248, 307a, 309e, f, 312, 333, 354, 384, 392a.
MUNSTER.— Nos. 16, 17, 18.
WICKLOW. — Nos. 34; 49e, 63a, 64 Bis, 71, 71a, 73, 74.

Collectors who have any of these pieces, or meet with them at a later date, will greatly oblige by kindly communicating with us, so that they may be recorded in an Addenda.
 

R. DALTON,
Park House, Bristol.
 

S. H. HAMER,
Bleak House, Halifax.

William Parker, whose tokens have the edge-reading “Payable at W. Parker’s Old Birmingham Warehouse,” had his shop at 4, Kennedy’s Lane, Dublin; he was an ironmonger, hence the appropriateness of the name “Birmingham Warehouse.”

William Binns, of 25, St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin, an ironmonger, was the issuer of the Pantheon tokens of 1799 and 1802.

The tokens having the cypher H S Co, M F W, and R L T & Co., also the Hibernia, Fingall, and Swords tokens, have nothing to indicate who were the issuers.

R. Woodcock, banker, of Enniscorthy, issued some tokens, on which is represented a fortified gateway. At one time the town was fortified, but at the date of issuing the tokens nothing indicating the fortification was left except the Castle, which, in 1801, was entire. The writer to the “Gentleman’s Magazine” gives this information, and states that it stands on a craggy hill, in the centre of the town, at the south side of the River Slaney, and opposite to Vinegar Hill; which latter is shown on the reverse, a ruined windmill being seen on the summit. On this hill or mountain was fought a bloody battle during the Rebellion at the close of the 18th Century. Towards the foot of the hill is a vast grave or pit, in which were interred the bodies of about 500 men, who were slain in the conflict.

The tokens were struck at Soho Works, and are beautiful specimens of the die-sinker’s art in depicting rural scenery in a most minute manner.

The same person also issued tokens with “FOR CHANGE” on the obverse, along with the cypher R W, and the crest.

The writer of the “Bazaar Notes” informs us that the firm issuing the Cronebane tokens — viz., the Associated Irish Mine Company, was formed in or about the year 1787 by Abraham Mills (who became Chairman), William Roe, Robert Hodgson, Bryan Hodgson, Thomas Weaver the Elder, Edward Hawkins, Thomas Smith, Charles Caldwell, and Brabazon Noble, for the purpose of working copper and other mines. The Company had an office at 184, Great Britain Street, Dublin. The Cronebane Mine, situate in the Vale of Ovoca, on the opposite side of the river to Ballymurtagh, about six miles from Wicklow, was one of the mines of the Company.

The tokens with the legend “Associated Irish Miners Arms” are very probably counterfeits. The former state that they are “Payable at Cronebane Lodge, or in Dublin”; the latter simply state a city or town, except where the edge-reading refers to a private individual, as Thomas Ball, Sleaford.

Dr. Aquilla Smith, M.R.I.A., in 1858, read a paper before the Archæological Society at Kilkenny, being a “Catalogue of Leaden and Pewter Tokens Issued in Ireland.” These passed current as farthings, as no regal issue of this denomination took place between 1760 and 1806.

The only pewter token is that of Ballycastle, “For Coals or Salt” (evidently not intended to be used for general purpose). Dr. Smith states that this was probably issued by Hugh Boyd, soon after 1736, for the convenience of the poor.

With the exception of one bearing the initials DG, and dated 1781, the rest of the tokens were cast in lead, and are of later date viz., as between 1795 and 1816.

Of that issued by Dennis O’Flynn, in 1795, and later, Dr. Smith states — “I am indebted to Mr. Richard Caulfield for a token cast in the original brass mould at his request by Mr. O’Flynn in the year 1856.”

Seventeen tokens have been traced to have been issued by grocers.

Dr. Smith included twelve tokens of which the locality could not be definitely stated. Four were stated by Mr. Lindsay to have been struck in Cork (perhaps he did not know that they were cast in a mould). Only one has the name of the issuer, viz. — TYRRELL ; the others, an initial or initials. The fact that such should be accepted as currency points to the scarcity of regal issue, and the pressing need for small change.

The Charleville token for One Shilling and One Penny is one of the finest designed and executed pieces ; they were struck at Soho Works, Birmingham.

The issuer was raised to the Peerage in 1797, created Viscount Charleville and Baron Tullamoore in 1800, and Earl in 1806. Charleville Forest, the seat of the Earl of Charleville, adjoins the town of Tullamoore, which is about 51 miles south-west of Dublin. The writer of the “Bazaar Notes” further gives a heraldic description of the arms, and adds — “It is implied that the issuer made a profit of the odd penny on the redemption of each piece.” Seeing that 13 pence Irish were computed to the British shilling, it may be quite possible that no such profit was either intended or made.

In an account of the Castleknock Farmers’ Society there are a number of prizes stated to have been given to certain men, women, boys and girls. In every instance the guinea is rated at one pound, two shillings and nine pence — viz., twenty-one shillings, and twenty-one pence.

Of the Munster tokens (not the mules), all that can be stated is what the writer of the “Bazaar Notes” informs us — viz., that the design of the obverse presents a portrait of Bryen Boiroimhe, King of Ulster, who, in 1014, gained a famous victory over the Danes at Clontarf near Dublin.