Description:A silver twelve pence (shilling) token issued by Rushbury and Woolley of Bilston in 1811. Rushbury and Woolley were manufacturers of military ornaments. In 1815 Rushbury became bankrupt as he was unable to redeem the tokens he issued, while Woolley went on to patent an improved type of screw.
Token coins such as this were issued by businesses and other organisations when official coinage was in short supply. In theory, tokens would circulate only where their issuer was known or trusted, but in practice trade tokens were circulated widely and used in exactly the same way as official coinage. The latter years of the Napoleonic Wars affected the economy and led to further issues of tokens between 1811 and 1815. Token coinage from this period is usually of a high quality.
Bilston one shilling token. Silver.
Obverse: 'BILSTON SILVER TOKEN / ONE SHILLING'. Castle with three turrets, five lions.
Reverse: 'ONE POUND NOTE FOR 20 TOKENS / COMMERCIAL CHANGE - PAYABLE BY RUSHBURY AND WOOLLEY / 1811'.
Edge milled