The Wheatsheaf

Thomas Watersfield, a baker issued this trade token, worth a half penny, for his business in Distaff Lane.

Boyne & Williamson (1889) reference London number 837; Obv inscription: THOMAS.WATERSFEILD (around field, in Roman capitals) Device = A wheat-sheaf between T.M.W. (triad of initials in Roman capitals around symbol, in field); Rev inscription: BAKER.IN.DISSTAFE.LANE (around field, in Roman capitals) Device = HIS / HALF / PENY (in three lines of Roman capitals, in field).

The use of the wheat-sheaf to indicate a bakery, is taken from the arms of the Bakers' Company. The arms of the Worshipful Company of Bakers' are: Gules three Garbs Or on a chief barry wavy of six Argent and Azure two anchors Or cabled Gules over all issuant from a cloud proper radiated in chief Or a cubit arm descending therefrom vested Argent cuffed Sable the hand proper holding a balance (J. Bromley, The Armorial Bearings of the Guilds of London: a record of the heraldry of the surviving companies with historical notes; with...[illustrations] by Heather Child...(London, 1960). The anchors are often omitted as they are on this example.The arms of the Worshipful Company of Bakers' are: Gules three Garbs Or on a chief barry wavy of six Argent and Azure two anchors Or cabled Gules over all issuant from a cloud proper radiated in chief Or a cubit arm descending therefrom vested Argent cuffed Sable the hand proper holding a balance (J. Bromley, The Armorial Bearings of the Guilds of London: a record of the heraldry of the surviving companies with historical notes; with...[illustrations] by Heather Child...(London, 1960). The anchors are often omitted as they are on this example.The arms of the Worshipful Company of Bakers' are: Gules three Garbs Or on a chief barry wavy of six Argent and Azure two anchors Or cabled Gules over all issuant from a cloud proper radiated in chief Or a cubit arm descending therefrom vested Argent cuffed Sable the hand proper holding a balance (J. Bromley, The Armorial Bearings of the Guilds of London: a record of the heraldry of the surviving companies with historical notes; with...[illustrations] by Heather Child...(London, 1960). See also A13524 in the museum collection, and token number 6860 in the Sylloge of Coins of the British Isles, 59, The Norweb Collection: Tokens of the British Isles 1575-1750, Part VII - City of London. Distaff Lane is off Cannon Street, in Bread Street Ward, in the City of London.