London Elephant Tokens (c. 1672 to 1694)
London Elephant Tokens are late-17th-century British copper tokens that have become popular in early American numismatics because related “Carolina” and “New England” elephant tokens exist and because some London pieces have been found in colonial-era contexts. Even its name reflects uncertainty. These pieces are commonly attributed to London and often assigned an approximate date of 1694, yet many specialists allow a wider manufacturing window that may stretch from the early 1670s into the mid-1690s. What is clear is that the series belongs to an era when small change was a persistent problem in England as well as across Europe and privately used copper tokens frequently filled the gap left by an insufficient official coin supply.
The tokens are also wrapped in a second layer of mystery: their reverse legend, “GOD PRESERVE LONDON”, functions as both civic motto and public appeal. Some observers interpret it as a general appeal for divine protection, while others connect the wording to London’s traumatic mid-century crises, including the plague of 1665 and the Great Fire of 1666, events that remained part of the city’s living memory for decades. No single explanation is definitive, and the uncertainty keeps the tokens in active study.
Design Elements and What They Communicate
Each London Elephant Token shows a large, tusked African elephant in profile on the obverse. The elephant is not subtle. It dominates the flan and gives the series its modern nickname.
On the reverse, the defining device is the shield of the City of London, typically shown with the city’s cross-and-sword motif. Around this shield appears a legend that, depending on the variety, may be fully spelled as “GOD PRESERVE LONDON” or shortened to segmented forms such as “GOD PRESERV LONDON” or even a compressed “LON DON”. The use of the city arms and the London-centric legend strongly support the idea that these tokens were intended primarily for local, English use as a halfpenny substitute during a period of copper scarcity.
Attribution is also debated. Some references point to production associated with the Tower Mint and propose that the dies may have been cut by John Rottier, who worked as a chief engraver in England during the period. The cautious wording is important: this is an attribution, not a proven origin story, and the surviving evidence does not close the case.
Six Major Varieties and Why They Matter
Collectors commonly organize the London Elephant Tokens into six major varieties, distinguished by planchet thickness, border treatment, and reverse legend details. In practical terms, these differences are visible even to non-specialists. Some pieces are struck on noticeably thick planchets, while others are thinner. Some show a milled or otherwise decorated border, but many do not, and the overall “look” of the strike can range from bold to somewhat crude, a reminder that these were utilitarian token issues rather than regal coinage.
These physical differences create distinct subtypes. They suggest that the series was produced with more than one manufacturing setup, or at minimum with changing production choices over time. That aligns with what researchers see across many 17th- and 18th-century token series: when private token makers responded to shortages, uniformity was often less important than output.
Although called “London” Elephant Tokens, they also sit within a broader elephant-token family. Related pieces exist for Carolina and New England, and evidence indicates that the elephant theme and die links connect the groups.
How a London Token Became a Colonial Find
These tokens are still of interest to early American numismatics because examples have been recovered in North America and some show circulation wear, even though they were likely not made specifically for colonial use and may not have circulated widely there. That does not necessarily prove the tokens were intended for the colonies, but it does support a realistic connection. Coins and tokens traveled with sailors, merchants, and migrants, and small copper pieces were exactly the kind of money that could ride in pockets and sea chests and then be spent wherever coin was scarce.
In short, the London Elephant Token is a compact artifact of scarcity, survival, and travel: a civic emblem and a prayer on one side, an elephant on the other, and a trail of unanswered questions that still follows it more than three centuries later.
