Bampton Tokens

Here the arms shown on Bampton tokens - Mercers, Cordwainers, Clothworkers, and Grocers. Below are shown the two sides of a Bampton token 1652 John Ball (16mm diamater).

During the 17th century there was an acute shortage of small value coinage over the country, and larger traders in towns were permitted to mint their own ‘coinage’. This took the form of tokens, which were accepted as valid currency within those towns. Five of these tokens were issued in Bampton by four traders. John Ball, a grocer, issued a ¼d. token in 1652. Henry Ball, a clothworker, issued two in 1666, both having a value of ¼d., and in the same year Daniel Glas, a mercer, issued a ½d. token. In 1669, William Yeandell, a cordwainer, issued a ½d. token. When the coinage situation stabilised, the Government refused to acknowledge the tokens or to exchange them for coin of the Realm, causing a fury of anger.

Mercers were dealers in fine fabrics, and cordwainers were shoe and fine leather goods makers - Cordwain was the finest tanned & dressed goatskin from Cordova in Spain, and used for bags, gloves and the like.