Summer 2023 Finds Update – Norwich Token

Caistor Hall Hotel Excavation – Summer 2023

An interesting Norwich token was recovered from Trench 9 (SF23545) during last summer’s excavation in the hotel paddock.

(Photos pending publication)

This particular token is a relatively rare issue of Francis Elmer, wool comber and is listed as Williamson 140 (1). There are less than ten recorded examples of this token (2). The obverse has an image of three foxes within a dotted circle surrounded by the legend FRANCIS ELMER, although in our example only the christian name is legible. The reverse has the capitalised initials E over F G in two lines again within a dotted circle and surrounded by the legend IN NORWICH 1667.

References

(1) Willliamson 1967, 855, no. 140. Marsden 2018, 48

(2) Marsden A, Francis Elmer and the Three Foxes, Token Correspondence Society Bulletin, March 2022, Vol 13, No. 10.

Bibliography

Thompson, R.H & Dickinson M.J. 1993. Sylloge of Coins of the British Isles 44. The Norweb Collection, Tokens of the British Isles, 1575 – 1750, Part IV, Norfolk to Somerset (Spink, London).