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The Legend of Lady Godiva and the Trade Tokens of Coventry

Lady Godiva trade tokens, Coventry, England - Stack's Bowers Galleries February 2020 Collectors Choice Online Auction

By Jeremy BostwickSenior Numismatist & Cataloger, Stack’s Bowers ……
Lady Godiva in Anglo-Saxon days was a noblewoman married to Leofric, the Earl of Mercia in what is now central England. Though the legend surrounding her is viewed today rather apocryphally, it nevertheless has survived for at least seven centuries at least in part because of its risqué nature.

The story dates to the 13th century, while Godiva herself (Godgifu in Old English) lived around the time of the Norman Invasion in 1066. Sympathetic toward the citizens of Coventry as a result of the burdens of taxation levied by her husband, she beseeched him repeatedly to cease with his oppressive taxes, with each entreaty being quashed. Finally, having grown weary of Godiva’s many requests, Leofric acquiesced, stating that he would grant her wish solely on the condition that she would strip naked and ride a horse through the streets of Coventry. Taking him at his word, she did just that, clad only in her long hair that, in the world of art, is often “strategically” used to clothe her.

Upon her agreement to the proposal, Leofric issued a commandment that the townsfolk look away and remain indoors, lest they see his wife’s unclothed state. All but one—a man named Thomas—obeyed this order. Poor Thomas, having caught an illicit glimpse at the naked countess, was allegedly struck blind. From this tale, the notion of a “peeping Tom” originated.

The legendary “naked ride” is still celebrated widely in Coventry, with numerous references in the form of monuments, art, and a festival. An unclothed female upon a horse is even on the city’s flag and coat-of-arms. It is clear that, despite its rather dubious origin, the tale is treated as a civic badge of honor. In numismatics, this is abundantly clear, with numerous late-18th-century Coventry trade tokens employing this popular iconography. On these pieces, Lady Godiva is presented riding left upon a horse, seated sidesaddle toward the viewer and modestly attempted to cover herself.

Our upcoming Collectors Choice Online (CCO) auction in February will offer a charming selection of these “Lady Godiva” tokens, presenting different years, reverse types, and artistic renditions of the countess. Though it is more likely that this event did not occur, it is rather fitting that the ride—for which the alleged purpose was the lowering of taxes to aid the local economy—eventually made its way onto a form of token specie meant to alleviate the current coining shortage and facilitate the commerce of not just Coventry, but of the United Kingdom as a whole.

To view our upcoming auction schedule and future offerings, please visit StacksBowers.com where you may register and participate in this and other forthcoming sales.

We are always seeking coins, medals, and paper money for our future sales, and are currently accepting submissions (until Tuesday, January 21) for our next Collectors Choice Online auction will be in February 2020. Following that, our next showcase auction will be our Official Auction of the Hong Kong Show in March 2020—a monumental event that will mark our 10th anniversary of auctions in Asia! If you would like to learn more about consigning, whether a singular item or an entire collection, please contact one of our consignment directors today at 800-458-4646 or by email at [email protected] and we will assist you in achieving the best possible return on your material.

Stack's Bowers
Stack's Bowershttps://stacksbowers.com/
Stack's Bowers Galleries conducts live, internet, and specialized auctions of rare U.S. and world coins and currency and ancient coins, as well as direct sales through retail and wholesale channels. The company's 90-year legacy includes the cataloging and sale of many of the most valuable United States coin and currency collections to ever cross an auction block — The D. Brent Pogue Collection, The John J. Ford, Jr. Collection, The Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Collection, The Harry W. Bass, Jr. Collection, The Joel R. Anderson Collection, The Norweb Collection, The Cardinal Collection, The Sydney F. Martin Collection, and The Battle Born Collection — to name just a few. World coin and currency collections include The Pinnacle Collection, The Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Collection of World Gold Coins, The Kroisos Collection, The Alicia and Sidney Belzberg Collection, The Salton Collection, The Wa She Wong Collection, and The Thos. H. Law Collection. The company is headquartered in Costa Mesa, California with galleries in New York, Boston, and Philadelphia. Offices are also located in New Hampshire, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Virginia, Hong Kong, Paris, and Vancouver.

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