Lot #510: 1867 UK "To Hanover" Gaming Token - Queen Victoria - Rare Vintage "Cumberland Jack" Coin

Obverse: Features a profile portrait of a young Queen Victoria, closely resembling the "Young Head" design used on official gold Sovereigns of the era. The inscription H. M. G. M. QUEEN VICTORIA 1867 encircles the bust. (The abbreviation "H.M.G.M." stands for "Her Most Gracious Majesty"). Reverse: Features a figure on horseback (the Duke of Cumberland) galloping away to the right. Above the rider are the words TO HANOVER. Below the horse is the date 1837. This design was a parody of the St. George and the Dragon motif found on genuine gold coins. To the untrained eye of the 19th century, these tokens were often mistaken for real currency. The 1867 "To Hanover" token is a fascinating piece of British numismatic history, often referred to as a "Cumberland Jack." While it mimics the appearance of a British Sovereign, it was actually a satirical gaming token or whist marker with a biting political subtext. These tokens first appeared in 1837 when Queen Victoria took the throne. Because of "Salic Law" in Hanover, a woman could not rule there, so the unpopular Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, had to leave England to become King of Hanover. The public, who disliked the Duke, celebrated his departure with these "To Hanover" (meaning "Go away") tokens. Although the original political event occurred in 1837, these tokens continued to be manufactured for decades as play money and gaming counters. The 1867 date is a later Victorian issue, often used in parlor games. Because they were so frequently used to defraud people, the British government eventually passed the Medals Act of 1883 to ban the production of tokens that too closely resembled legal tender. Dimensions: Brass. 2 g 22 mm. Pickup category timeslot {A}