The notice of Tradesmen's tokens, inserted in the "Current Notes" of Feb. 25th, has attracted more attention than I expected, as besides the letters published in the Notes of March 25th, I have had direct communications from Andover and Downpatrick. In reply to the obliging letter of "K. L." Dublin, I beg to say, that I had seen the engraving of the Cork farthing in Mr. Lindsay's work, but as I did not sufficiently express my meaning, I will now explain what I meant by "the Commonwealth Arms," viz. that the two shields of Arms of England and Ireland were side by side, as shewn on the Token engraved in the "Notes," and precisely in the form they appear on the Coins of the Commonwealth, not separate as on the Cork farthing, one shield on the obverse, the other on the reverse side. They are all scarce: I do not know a single example of these Arms on an English token. Dr. Smith's Catalogue of Irish Tokens was unknown to me; I shall take the first opportunity to procure a copy.

My chief object in writing the notice was to get any information concerning the Tokens of Scotland, whether there are any besides the Royal tokens. The Scotch tokens of the 18th Century, mentioned by your correspondent "M. A. M." are well known, and engraved in the excellent work by Charles Pye, on the "Provincial Coins and Tokens issued from the year 1787 to 1801, Birmingham, 1801."

The following passage from Thoresby, the Leeds historian, who was a celebrated Numismatist in his day, gives the best information I can find on the subject: he says:—

"When private persons first obtained liberty of having their own names inscribed on the Tokens, I cannot learn. Sir William Dick had that favour in Charles I.'s time, but that was in Scotland. It seems to have been otherwise in England. I have by me a copy of an order in Council, whereby it appears that only the King's farthing tokens should be current here,[C] and the privilege of coining them was granted to the Duke of Lennox, and the Marquis of Hamilton, under the Great Seal."

The passage is obscure, and does not sufficiently give the information wanted, as the great bulk of these tokens were issued during the time of the Commonwealth and the reign of Charles II.

The study of Tradesmen's tokens has met with such unmerited contempt from some of our ablest antiquaries, that it seems rash to attempt an apology for them; but any one who is well acquainted with them knows the fund of amusement and instruction that may be derived from them, and if they continue to be slighted as they have been, many specimens will be irretrievably lost to future antiquaries. A few further remarks on them may be interesting to your general readers.

After a careful calculation, I cannot estimate the number of these tokens at less than 40,000, and I think that number less than the real quantity; from various correspondence with collectors, I always find that they have a large number different to mine. Mr. Akerman has described 2461 in his list of London Tokens only. The great loss to the public compelled the Government to put them down under the severest penalties: very large numbers may be picked out of a collection, which would require a dozen to weigh a modern halfpenny; their paltry intrinsic value, no doubt, prompted many unprincipled shopkeepers to issue them, from the profit they derived from the quantity which would be lost, owing to their small size. There is scarcely a village that had not its local currency. I possess tokens of 684 cities, towns, and villages.

Amongst the different trades and professions which appear on the tokens, that of a Musician is seldom met with: the following is an interesting example, and furnishes an early example of Punch—

Henry Laude, Newark, says, "Noe want where these are." The cruel sport of cock fighting is on the token of William Docker, of Leeds, drawer. Gateshead has a punning coat of arms—a goat's head: to the lovers of Heraldry there is a fund of amusement; besides the Arms of the Trading Companies of London, we have the Arms of Corporations, and families. Many of the Corporations issued their tokens: Wotton-under-Edge has, "This farthing token will be owned by the Mayor and Aldermen." The Bristol Corporation farthing is of good size and execution: many different dies were used. It is an exceedingly common token, and remarkable, as being the only one issued in that important commercial town. Many names of towns appear on these tokens, which would puzzle a gazetteer to find out: two names occur to me at this moment, Ozed and Fairefax.

To those who are interested in Tokens, I would recommend the "ReliquiÆ AntiquÆ Eboracenses, or Remains of Antiquities in Yorkshire," which can be supplied by you: two numbers are published, each containing a plate of Yorkshire Tokens.

Leeds, April 1852.

The Percy Society have resolved "that considering the present circumstances of the Society, it is expedient that the Society be dissolved at the close of the current year, (30th April next); and that the Books which remain in hand be divided amongst those Members, then not in arrear of their subscriptions, so far as the stock will allow, and with advantage of priority in proportion to the period of subscription."

Monument to the Poet Blair.—"The Glasgow literati propose to erect a monument at Athelstaneford, to the memory of Blair, the author of "The Grave," and other poetical works. Blair was long the parish Minister of Athelstaneford, and is buried in the grave-yard there."—Sunday Times, 11th April.