Token - Farthing - Esto Justus Malton North Yorkshire

Reverse

Inscription on two lines

Script: Latin

Lettering:
ESTO
JUSTUS

Translation: Be Just

Edge

Reeded

Comment

1815 Esto Justus Malton Farthing. Interesting little copper tokens, these. Nobody is really quite sure what their function was, if indeed they did have a specific purpose for use. Copper tokens were produced privately at this time to satisfy the need for small denomination currency following the dearth of coinage in the wake of the Napoleonic wars . The only source I can find suggests that they were commissioned for use by the landlords of the Malton Estate in Yorkshire to be given to tenants on rent days if they paid their rent on time. In return an appropriate number of these tokens were a reward to be spent in the local hostelries. In other words, a kind of pub token but not specific to a particular inn. This doesn't really explain the significance of the inscription however. ESTO JUSTUS means be just in Latin. Whatever the answer is, they are well struck as this one is, with clear lettering and a very well-executed milled edge , quite unusual in a copper coin of this denomination. They only appear dated 1815 and that in itself may explain why no further ones were struck afterwards, because of course the "Great Recoinage" followed in 1816. It is 21.5mm diameter and weighs 3.83g.