Cornish Tin Replica Coin - Scorrier Penny

Issued by John Williams of Scorrier House, owner of the highly successful Gwennap Mines. In 1811, the Scorrier Penny reproduced for the collection, is one of several carrying variations of the same basic design. Some of these are assumed to be the counterfeit versions which undermined confidence in the genuine token issues among the working class. Each version included minor differences to either the Engine House featuring an early pumping engine beam with a horse powered whim (winding machine) to its right on the obverse, or the fish, tin and copper traditional Cornish toast on the reverse.

The Scorrier and Dolcoath pennies were withdrawn within weeks of each other when efforts to bolster confidence in them finally failed. The action no doubt helped to maintain the good name of the mine owners and avoid unrest amongst miners.
The Scorrier Penny in the collection is die struck in Cornish tin recovered in 1995 from the wreck of the "SS Cheerful" after 100 years on the sea bed off the Cornish coast.

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