Description
Great Britain, Scotland, Ayrshire, William Fullarton (1754-1808, a Scottish soldier, statesman, agriculturalist and author; in his post-military life he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of London and Royal Society of Edinburgh; he never again undertook service, but raised the 23rd, or Fullarton’s dragoons, in 1794, and the 101st, or Fullarton’s foot, in 1800, both of the regiments being reduced at the Peace of Amiens in 1802; he continued his parliamentary career when he sat for the Haddington Burghs from 1787 to 1790, for Horsham from 1793 to 1796, and for Ayrshire from 1796 to April 1803, and became Governor of Trinidad in 1802).
Copper Halfpenny Trade Token, dated 1797, obverse: armoured bust of William Wallis to left, dragon on crest of helm, GULIELMUS VALLAS around (William Wallace was a Scottish knight who became one of the main leaders during the Wars of Scottish Independence; along with Andrew Moray, Wallace defeated an English army at the Battle of Stirling Bridge in September 1297; he was appointed Guardian of Scotland and served until his defeat at the Battle of Falkirk in July 1298; in August 1305 Wallace was captured and handed over to King Edward I of England, who had him hanged, drawn and quartered for high treason, as depicted in the 1995 film Braveheart), reverse: female figure seated, left arm resting upon a shield, laurel wreath in outstretched right hand, thistle to right, SCOTIA REDIVIVA around, 17 TC 97 in exergue, edge plain, not in collar, diam. 26mm-28mm (Dalton & Hamer “The Provincial Token Coinage of the 18th Century” 3a).
Struck from lightly rusted dies on a small oval flan, about extremely fine, essentially as made with some original colour remaining, exceedingly rare.
Ex Baldwin’s Basement Collection, Baldwin’s Auction 102, September 2016, lot 2451
