Lead Token (Sexfoil and Ornamental branch) ND

Reverse

Ornamental branch

Edge

Plain

Comment

The cultivation of hops was a popular industry, first because it was very profitable, and secondly because it employed labour for almost all the year, " Planting, Soiling, Houghing, Poling, Tying and Picking."
All the picking had to be done in a few weeks, many thousands of pickers were required. These came chiefly from London, for “a holiday with work and pay," and were known as" furiners."
Payment for picking was arranged through the medium of tallies and hop-tokens. These showed the number of bushels picked, and were the basis of payment after the rate was agreed upon, which sometimes took several days.
Hop-tokens were passed as money between the pickers themselves, and were also accepted by the shop-keepers and inn-keepers in the locality, who were sure that the tokens would be redeemed later by the growers who issued them.