Abingdon [Berks], Henry Meales (Baker), Farthings, 1657 (2), in copper alloy, 6h, m.m. voided m...

Abingdon [Berks], Henry Meales (Baker), Farthings, 1657 (2), in copper alloy, 6h, m.m. voided mullet, • • HENRY MEALES • IN, 1657 in centre, voided mullet above and below, rev. • • ABINGTON • BAKER •, H M, voided mullet above and below (Babington 2; Boyne & Williamson 3; SCBI Norweb I, 58; Dickinson, Berks 7; Scotney [2007], pp. 373), struck with flawed obverse die, otherwise a bold fine with some corrosion; another, in brass, 12h (SCBI Norweb I, 59),largely flat, poor; also, Abingdon, Sarah Pleydell (Grocer and Beer Merchant), 'Her Halfe Penny', 1667, in copper alloy, 6h, m.m. spur rowel, (m.m.) SARAH PLAYDELL : Mercer's arms, rev. OF • ABINGTON • 1667, HER | HALFE | PENNY | S•P | in centre (Babington -; Boyne & Williamson 4; SCBI Norweb I, 61; Dickinson, Berks 8; Scotney [2007], pp. 373), flan dents and creasing, poor (3)

Provenance
ii) Purchased Schwer Coins, Woodbridge, Suffolk, March 1984 - £3.45
iii) Purchased Schwer Coins, Woodbridge, Suffolk, November 1984

Although both were previously assigned to Abington, Cambridgeshire, Will records for the Berkshire Record Office, confirm that Henry Meales (Senior), Baker, was a resident of Abingdon, Berkshire, with his last testament proved in 1668 (D/A1/98/85 - MF571). Similarly, the Pleydell family are recorded as leaseholders from the Abingdon Corporation from the middle of the mid-seventeenth century. Samuel Pleydell (1611-1663) was born in Cricklade, and moved to Corner House, in Ock Street in the town shortly after the his father's death in 1633. Established as a grocer, he married one Sarah Stacey from Stadhampton, Oxon. The Abingdon Corporation accounts record a payment of £5.4s.1d to Samuel and Sarah on 8 May 1645 for the supply of beer to a detachment of Sir Thomas Fairfax’s Parliamentary forces, evidently during their route march from Andover to Oxford prior to the second siege of the town. Samuel died in 1663, but his wife Sarah continued the business and in 1667 issued her own trading token to alleviate the shortage of official small specie in circulation.

For further information see Tim Scotney's article 'Abingdon 17th Century Token Issuers', Token Corresponding Society Bulletin, Vol. 8, no. 10, March 2007, pp. 370-75

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