A  pair of intriguing Scottish tokens exceeded expectations in the results of the sale of British Trade Tokens, Tickets and Passes at Noonans Mayfair in late September. The highest price of the sale for an individual token was for the last lot in the sale — a very rare silver medal from Duddingston (Midlothian) Curling Society (established in 1795), which depicted a view of a curling party on the ice. It brought a hammer price of £700 — more than double its pre-sale estimate of £200 to £260. The silver medal was purchased by a collector from Glasgow. 

“Duddingston Curling was a very prestigious society in the 19th century, meeting at the Loch that had been epitomized in the iconic painting of the Ice-Skating Vicar by Sir Henry Raeburn,” explained Noonans Special Projects Director for Numismatics Peter Preston-Morley. “I am not aware of another of these medals coming up at auction so to see it fetch over its pre-sale estimate and return to Scotland was a pleasing end to the sale!”

Also being sold by the same London-based vendor was an interesting Scottish-related lot. A very fine and rare token for the Royal Academy Antique School bearing the name Elmslie William Dallas was bought for a hammer price of £360, against an estimate of £200 to £260 by a collector from the United States. Artist Dallas (who lived  from 1809 to 1879) was born in Cantray, Inverness-shire, and was based for some years in Rome as well as exhibiting at the Royal Academy and the Royal Scottish Academy. He subsequently lived at Stockbridge, Edinburgh.

The sale, which comprised 550 lots, was 100% sold and yielded a hammer total of £81,855.

Several collections were included in the sale. A 70-lot collection of 17th century tokens formed by Keith Johnson featured one of the surprises of the sale. A scarce halfpenny from Rochdale (Lancashire) sold for £550 — almost seven times the higher end of its estimate of £60 to £80. Bearing the name Richard Kenion and dated 1667, it was bought by a collector from the United States, which is unusual for a domestic series. Overall, that collection alone realized a hammer price of £9,545.

From a 100-lot collection of 18th century tokens formed by the late Arvid Frank was a penny depicting the Old Bailey from the Prattent’s London and Westminster series dating from 1797, bringing a record hammer price of £700 against an estimate of £150 to £200. It was bought by a collector from the UK, after strong interest from buyers in the United States. This collection fetched a hammer total of £17,915.

A delightful and very rare early 19th century shilling from Gainsborough in Lincolnshire bearing the name William Jerrems and dated 1811  showed how auctions can become competitive. The shilling brought a hammer price of £650 after being estimated to sell for £240 to £300, apparently fought over by two windmill enthusiasts. A collector in the United States ended up the successful bidder for lot 501, which featured  a ship sailing on one side and a windmill on the other.

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