At a time of war in Europe, no gold coins were struck by the Royal Mint in 1812 but a handful of firms attempted to lessen the scourge with independent gold issues.
As button manufacturers Wilson & Younge would have had access to the machinery needed to strike coins as well as buttons, though it is not understood exactly such large value tokens were needed.
Most were melted when the New Coinage began to be released in the summer of 1817 so this coin in ‘practically uncirculated’ condition is a great rarity. It is guided at £3500-5000.
