Ancient Roman coins
14k+ coins · up to $50,000
Browse Catalogue
Explore popular collecting categories, from ancient Roman to rare American.
Want to check your coins value? Get it evaluated first, then list to verified buyers.
MOBILE APP
Identify coins using your camera. Your collection syncs across devices.
1M+
Daily users
4.3+★
User feedback rating
1.5M+
Items cataloged
20K+
Community members
Estimated Value
No recent market data yet
Name or Denominations
1 Farthing - Sparrow Nail Merchant London
Issuer
United Kingdom
Ruler
NA
Year of Minting
1826
Currency
NA
Shape
Round
Rarity
Ultra rare
Weight
5 g
Diameter
23 mm
Thickness
1.5 mm
Material
Copper
Shape
Round
Edge Type
Plain
Technique
Milled
Front design
A hot air balloon ascending with two occupants - the pilot (Green) and passenger (Sparrow), with flags marked G and S respectively
Back design
A hot air balloon ascending with two occupants - the pilot (Green) and passenger (Sparrow), with flags marked G and S respectively
Year of Minting
1826
Ruler
NA
Mint location
NA
Mint mark
NA
Orientation
Medal alignment ↑↑
Inscriptions
Obverse: SPARROW NAIL MERCHANT · LONDON · Reverse: LEATHER SAUCE INVENTED · 1826 ·
Context
Not the same as Bell# 2881 as this obverse has a balloon on as well as different lettering. Five different types of this token; links to the other four below. Isaac Earlysman Sparrow was a passenger in a balloon flight at Oxford, on 23 June 1823, piloted by Charles Green. He paid £50 and, watched by a crowd of some 5,000 people, had quite an eventful flight, the netting catching a chimney on take-off, and repairing the balloon during the flight with a silk handkerchief. On landing in the trees at Nettlebed Heath, Sparrow was thrown out of the gondola, but managed to catch a rope and saved Green from drifting away. The tokens are believed to be by either T Wyon or T W Ingram. Sparrows “Leather Sauce” was not a commercial success, and he was declared bankrupt.
Rarity
Ultra rare
Coin type
Emergency coinage › Merchant tokens
In circulation
No
Demonetized
Yes
Marketplace listings
0
Subscribe to Premium
Unlock more coin details with Premium.
