Post-Medieval — Mid 17th century; 1648-1673; 1666-1671

The Turk's Head Coffee House

Trade tokens were used as small change at a time when there were few low denomination coins, which made it difficult to make small purchases. They were issued by businesses like pubs and coffee houses. Trade tokens can be used to trace the movement of businesses after the Great Fire of London as their inscriptions include the names of the owners and from where they operated. This token was issued by Robert Hayes who owned a coffee house called the Turk's Head in the Barbican area. He seems to have moved his business here from Pannier Alley (near St Paul's Cathedral), which was destroyed in the fire (see his Pannier Alley token 96.66/880).

The inscription reads:
Obverse: ROBERT. HAYES. AT. YE. COFFE. HOVS [image of a Turk's head]
Reverse: In.Barbican.formerly.in.Pannyer.Ally

Category:
Post-Medieval
Object ID:
96.66/120
Object name:
The Turk's Head Coffee House
Object type:

token, trade token

Artist/Maker:
Hayes, Robert
Related people:
—
Related events:

Great Fire of London 1666

Related places:

Barbican, [but formerly in Pannyer Ally] Aldersgate Ward & ward of Cripplegate Without, City of London, London [City of London], City of London

Production date:
mid 17th century; 1648-1673; 1666-1671
Material:
copper alloy
Measurements/duration:
DM 24 mm, WT 2.75 g
Part of:
—
On display:
—
Record quality:
100%
Part of this object:
—
Credit:
—
Copyright holder:
digital image © London Museum
Image credit:
—
Creative commons usage:
—
License this image:

To license this image for commercial use, please contact the London Museum Picture Library.

Tags

Post-Medieval Tudor Elizabethan Jacobean Stuart Class & Economics City of London