This years finds

[longdog]

Hi all, i'm 11 months into my detecting career and here are a few of my best finds so far.
If anyone could shed any light on the lead token item it would be much appreciated.
The florins were found within a meter of each other, possible purse loss?

[Neil]

Good going Longdog!

Took me years to find a silver thimble and you have a cracker there already. Keep at it and you'll be rewarded with plenty of finds.

cheers
Neil

[WeCan-Octavian]

Hi Longdog well done, i have recorded lots of tokens with the Flo this year and all have been dated probably post medieval 1200-1800 they were used as forms of tallys/currency for work to be exchanged for goods etc.

If you look on the following extract was taken from the PAS, type in lead tokens you will be surprised how many are about.

Tokens and Jetton are both alternatives to currency, although in slightly different ways. Jettons were produced in copper alloy and used to perform calculations for accountancy. Jettons were in common use from the 13th to 16th centuries. The early types include those based on Edwardian long cross pennies. French Jetton, many carrying a fleur de lis design, are increasingly common finds from the 15th century and an enormous array of types produced in Nuremberg became the most common types in the 16th century, of which a design based around a rose and orb are amongst the most frequently found.

Nick

Tokens were produced mainly in copper alloy, lead and pewter. They were used by traders at time of a coin shortage, namely between 1600 AD and 1800 AD. They sometimes displayed the name or initials of the issuer, and some have the denomination of half penny or penny. Machine made tokens appeared in the 18th century, and continued to be produced as slot machine tokens until very recently (so watch out for modern ones).

[Chef Geoff]

Nice going Longdog, you've done well and I love the thimble and Gothic florin

Just going to pull Octavian and the FLO up a bit here....The lead tokens we find that some call "farmers tokens" are now thought to be "tallies" rather than a token in the accepted sense.
These were issued to workers per unit of work ie a stone for a mason, a row of a furlong during harvest, a bushel of apples etc.
At the end of the day,  week or contract these were exchanged for real money. The design would probably have been changed each year/month/week or even day by farmers as lead is very easy to work (melts in a saucepan) and would have been simple to copy.
 

And Post-Medieval is from 1485 onwards