¼ Penny Norwich / Chamberlin (1847)
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Year | 1847 |
| Denomination | 1 Farthing |
| Mint | Royal Mint · Llantrisant |
| Circulation | Non-circulating |
| Demonetised | Yes |
| Composition | Copper |
| Diameter | 21.5mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Orientation | Coin alignment ↑↓ |
| Grade scale | UK (EF/UNC) |
The Arms of the City of Norwich consisting of a triple-towered castle above a lion passant. Wreath around.
Legend on four lines in centre and round periphery
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not a sale of this coinWe have no sold price for this coin yet. This range is the middle of what 3 similar coins sold for in circulated condition: the same denomination and metal, struck within 10 years. Treat it as a guide, not a valuation.
- £15.49
- £20.65
- £13.76
About the 1847 Farthing Norwich / Chamberlin
The 1847 Farthing Norwich / Chamberlin is a collector 1 farthing coin, struck in copper. It measures 21.5mm across. Reverse design: Legend on four lines in centre and round periphery.
It is no longer legal tender, so its value is to collectors only.
Common questions
How much is the 1847 Farthing Norwich / Chamberlin worth?
No verified sale of the 1847 Farthing Norwich / Chamberlin has been logged on MyCoinage yet.
Is the Chamberlin Norwich token a real coin?
No. It is a farthing-sized token made for H. Chamberlin Sons & Co, drapers of Norwich, and dated 1847. It was never issued by the Royal Mint and was never legal tender, though tokens of this kind were used locally as small change and to advertise the shop.
Who were Chamberlin Sons & Co?
A Norwich drapery firm founded by Henry Chamberlin in 1815. Mason's Directory of 1852 lists them as wholesale and retail drapers in the Market Place, and the business grew into one of the city's largest Victorian stores, at the corner of Guildhall Hill and Dove Street.
What is on the other side of the Chamberlin token?
The arms of the City of Norwich: a castle above a lion. Norfolk Museums records the arms on its 1847 example. The city's arms are blazoned as a triple-towered, domed silver castle on red, with a gold lion passant guardant below.
Did Chamberlin issue tokens in other years?
Yes. Norfolk Museums holds Chamberlin tokens dated 1846 and 1852 as well as 1847, including two 1846 pieces given to the museum in 1894. Check the date on any example, because the years are separate issues.
How do I identify the 1847 Farthing Norwich / Chamberlin?
Check the diameter 21.5mm and the metal (copper) against the specification table on this page. The reverse design is described above.
History and design
The Chamberlin token is a Norwich draper's farthing dated 1847. It was struck for H. Chamberlin Sons & Co, retail and wholesale drapers, and was never issued by the Royal Mint or recognised as legal tender. A token, as distinct from a coin, is issued by a private entity rather than a governmental authority, and an Act of 1817 had forbidden private token coinage outright.
Shopkeepers still ordered farthing-sized pieces in Victoria's reign. The Canadian Token Collectors Club archive describes these unofficial farthings as struck mainly by merchants from 1837 to 1870 and used both to advertise and as small change where needed. Henry Chamberlin had founded the business in 1815, and Mason's Directory of 1852 lists the firm as wholesale and retail drapers in the Market Place. It became one of the largest Victorian stores in the city, on the corner of Guildhall Hill and Dove Street opposite the Guildhall. No mintage is recorded.
Norfolk Museums records one side as H. CHAMBERLIN SONS & CO RETAIL & WHOLESALE DRAPERS NORWICH 1847, and the other as the arms of the City of Norwich. Its example measures 21 mm, and a second 1847 piece is described as copper alloy.
The city arms are a triple-towered, domed silver castle on a red shield with a gold lion passant guardant below. They appeared on a 15th-century seal and were confirmed at a heraldic visitation in 1562. The die maker is not recorded.
Collecting notes
Chamberlin tokens are not confined to 1847. Norfolk Museums holds examples dated 1846 and 1852 as well, so read the date before matching a piece to this entry. The Museum of Norwich example came as a gift in 1979, and another 1847 token in the archaeology collection was found at Marsham.
The references for unofficial farthings are R. C. Bell's work and its 1994 supplement, and Paul and Bente Withers' The Token Book 2, which covers about 1,100 types. Norwich had other token issuers in 1847, among them R. Alden, lamp manufacturer of St Stephen's.
Sources
The history, design, varieties and collecting notes on this page are drawn from these sources. Prices come from recorded sales, not from them.
- Trade token, H. Chamberlin Sons and Co, retail and wholesale drapers, Norwich, 1847 (NWHCM : 1979.465), Norfolk Museums Service, via Museum Data Service (read 10 Oct 2026)
- O'Brien Coin Guide: The Unofficial Irish Token Coinages of Queen Victoria (1837-1901), The Old Currency Exchange (read 10 Oct 2026)
- Token, 19th century Norwich token for H. Chamberlin dated 1847 found at Marsham (NWHCM : 1953.125), Norfolk Museums Service, via Museum Data Service (read 10 Oct 2026)
- Token, copper alloy Norwich farthing token of Chamberlin, Sons and Co. 1847 (NWHCM : 1990.44), Norfolk Museums Service, via Museum Data Service (read 10 Oct 2026)
- Token, 2 Post-medieval Norwich tokens of H. Chamberlin and Sons, dated 1846 (NWHCM : 1894.76.257.139), Norfolk Museums Service, via Museum Data Service (read 10 Oct 2026)
- Token, Post-medieval trade token of Chamberlin, Norwich dated 1852 (NWHCM : 1954.175), Norfolk Museums Service, via Museum Data Service (read 10 Oct 2026)
- Norwich Department Stores, Colonel Unthank's Norwich (read 10 Oct 2026)
- Norwich City Council (Coat of arms), Wikipedia (read 10 Oct 2026)
- 19th Century English Unofficial Farthings 1838-1870: Introduction, Canadian Token Collectors Club (Bill McKivor archive) (read 10 Oct 2026)
- Token coin, Wikipedia (read 10 Oct 2026)
- Penny (British pre-decimal coin), Wikipedia (read 10 Oct 2026)
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