Heart stopping moment when I thought I’d found my first gold coin on the Thames Foreshore (reader, it wasn’t) but still one of my favourite finds from early 2020 before lockdown. A copper alloy Nuremberg Ship’s Penny jeton from the mid 16th century, minted by the Schultes.

Whoever lost this jeton in the 1550s would have known nothing of modern times - electricity, flight, the internet etc. The French initially dominated the jeton production market, eventually overtaken by the Nurembergers in 16th C, the ‘go to’ people for supplies of cheap jetons.

The Schultes (Iorg, Hans I, Hans II & Hans III) shamelessly pinched designs from older French jetons which is why you can see here the Galley of France, from the seal of Paris, as the main design on the obverse. Hence the name ‘Ship’s Penny.’

While the reverse of the jeton shows a lozenge with fleur-de-lis design Found on many a heraldic crest but particularly associated with the French monarchy (House of Bourbon.) This jeton would have been used for calculation/tally on a chequer board by a merchant.

Vertical lines on a chequer board were marked with values (£ s d) while the horizontal showed transaction details. Twelve Penny counters such as my Nuremberg jeton equalled a shilling, and for every twelve of these a single counter would have been added to the shilling square.

The jeton was literally thrown at my feet by the wash from a passing Thames Clipper. This happens once in a blue moon but, when it does, it’s a very special moment. My most significant find from what has been a wretched year in so many ways. #Mudlark #ThamesForeshore

Final tweet from this thread as I have some new followers keen to go mudlarking. It’s a legal requirement to have a valid permit to search to the foreshore and these, plus advice on where you can & can’t go on the Thames, are available from the @LondonPortAuth website #Mudlark