Owner Comments:
Purchased from Catbert on 6/16/2011. He was kind enough to send it off for grading to NGC before then sending it along to me. It is one of the most stunning examples of a Conder Token I have ever seen. Exactly 2 months after I had verbal acceptance of my offer, I received it on 8/16/2011. I will say, patience was definitely a virtue in the case of this one. Many thanks to Catbert for his patience, his willingness to work with me, and ultimately for his being willing to part with this beautiful piece of history. It is now the cornerstone of my Horse-themed set, and will be my avatar on coin forums for the foreseeable future.
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This particular token is the D&H 342 version, even though NGC has given it the incorrect D&H 339 attribution. The attribution to D&H 342 is definitive, as the token has the larger boar on the obverse, and the text "PONTHON" is very evident on the dividing exergue line. This particular token is a bronzed proof, with absolutely stunning surfaces, razor sharp details, and absolutely pristine edge lettering.
Dalton & Hamer list this token as being "Scarce", which corresponds to a mintage of approximately 75-150 pieces, or a comparable Sheldon Rarity of about R4. Listed in Bell's "Commercial Coins 1787-1804" as "RARE", he estimated a mintage of 75 or less struck of these. In summary, this token is quite scarce in general, and given the high grade of this particular specimen, it is likely the finest surviving example available.
Historical context: Christopher Ibberson was the proprietor of this famous old hostelry in High Holborn in the West End of London. It was originally just called the "Blue Boar" and was a starting point for coaches heading North, and the tokens themselves advertise “Mail and Post Coaches to all parts of England”. Ibberson himself must have been a considerable businessman, as the records of the Old Bailey show him twice sitting on the Middlesex Grand Jury: in 1790, and again in 1792. The same records show that the George & Blue Boar was well known locally. In September 1796, Charles Scoldwell stood trial for the theft of two tame ducks, valued at 3s. During cross-examination, the driver of the stage coach from Bedford, who had brought Scoldwell to London, was asked: Is there a more public inn in Holborn, or more coaches go from any inn, except the George and Blue-Boar? to which he replied 'I don’t believe so.' In the event Scoldwell got more transportation than he had bargained for.
The Ibberson tokens include a rendering of St George and the Dragon by Ponthon, and a neatly impressed edge inscription, though this was a process which Boulton was gradually abandoning, relying instead on the precision of manufacture and the full weight of his tokens, for their security against counterfeiting. Ibberson ordered half a ton of tokens in December 1794, but by February 1795 wrote again to Boulton, this time to cancel his order ‘as in consequence of what appeared in the Gazette a few evenings ago, there is not a doubt but the Circulation of the new Halfpence will be Stopped.’ In the event, it was not the Circulation but Ibberson’s tokens themselves which were stopped.
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FROM DALTON & HAMER:
The Ibberson tokens of this design are indexed in Dalton & Hamer with numbers 338 through 343.
338. An artist's proof in tin of the obverse die of No. 339 without the boar (unique).
339. Obv: St. George killing the dragon, crest, a boar. HOLBORN LONDON (Exergue: C. IBBERSON)
Rev: MAIL. & | POST COACHES | TO ALL PARTS OF | ENGLAND (in four lines with a laurel)
Edge: PAYABLE AT THE GEORGE & BLUE BOAR LONDON.
Also stuck in silver
339a. Same as 339, but with milled edge.
340. Obv: Same as 339 (or very similar).
Rev: A cypher R W on a shield, hanging on a tree, &c.
341. Obv: Same as 339 (or very similar).
Rev: No.— | SIX | PENCE | 1800 (unique, in British museum).
342. Obv : Similar to last, but the boar is larger, and with PONTHON in minute letters on the exergue line.
Rev: The same as No. 339.
Edge: The same as No. 339.
Also struck in silver.
343 and 343Bis. Obv: An imitation struck by Taylor of Holborn about 1870, has a small boar, and is
without saddle-cloth. Ex: G. JBBERSON. Rev: Similar to No. 339, but the letters are narrower. Edge: Plain (in collar).
Struck in brass, copper, and white-metal. 343 Bis is similar, but reads C. IBBERSON.