Lot 431
London, Paternoster Row (?), Cabbage Society Halfpenny 1796, cauliflower, rev . the word ‘PURIM’around a central 6-petal …

Auction: 7 October 2024 at 10:00 BST
£480
Description
London, Paternoster Row (?), Cabbage Society Halfpenny 1796, cauliflower, rev . the word ‘PURIM’around a central 6-petalled flower, edge plain, 28mm/5.77gm. (DH 1005 bis). Very Fine to Extremely Fine, rev. not centrally struck with small edge striking flaw. Of the highest rarity and possibly only the second known.
Footnote
Obviously, this piece has a Jewish relevance re. the word ‘Purim’ and it is possible that it may have a connection with a society of Jewish tradesmen who met in rooms in Paternoster Row, underneath a cabbage/cauliflower painted on the ceiling. It really only exists in the larger penny size, but this piece was struck from penny dies on a thin halfpenny sized planchet. Initially unknown to Dalton Hamer it was added to the agenda of their Magnus Opus as a ‘bis’ number and probably only exists in a couple of examples or so.

