In the 18^th, 19^th and early 20^th Centuries the size of the Hop growing industry, centred on Kent and Sussex in Southern England and in Hereford and Worcester in the West, necessitated employing pickers from outside the area, the pickers were remunerated for each bushel of hops picked by a token which could be exchanged for cash at the end of the growing season.

Early tokens were lead cast and had values in pence on them usually in a series which ran 1d, 6d, 1 shilling, 2s6d, 5/- & 10/-, later series initially mimicked this one with tokens for 1, 6, 12, 30, 60 & 120 bushels, the payment per bushel being fixed at the start of the season. Other series from 1 to 5 or 1 to 6 inclusive were more common in East Kent where picking was in to 6 or 7 bushel Baskets. Series of values which relied on the limitless ingenuity of the local farmers also exist.

The tokens also incorporated the issuers initials or in some cases his name in full, the name or initials of the farm and village could also be incorporated in the title. Tokens were later made using punches on Lead or tin plate, cast with lead alloy or bell metal, manufactured, engraved or even printed on paper, the latter being exceptionally difficult to detect.

Information about the tokens has built up via pamphlets issued by a series of collectors over the years, E.H Clark and the Rev R.W.Acworth being 2 of the precursors to the modern reference work, Hop Tokens of Kent and Sussex & their issuers, by Alan C Henderson, issued by Spink 1990.

Metal Detecting has added to the known tokens and issuers with several previously unrecorded tokens having been found, identified and recorded by RMMDC. Unfortunately most leaden tokens fit into the more general farming series which can rarely been firmly attributed, although the works of Mitchener and others have allowed some form of rough dating to be applied.

Duncan Pennock