British tokens, Southwark, The Mint, John Platten, cooper, halfpenny token c. 1660s

The unusual location given on the token refers to the Liberty of the Mint, an area of Borough High Street, which was on the site of the old Southwark Mint, building (Suffolk Place) which had been demolished in 1557. As a separate jurisdiction from Southwark, the Liberty was a sanctuary where no-one could be arrested for any but the most serious crimes, or for debt. Any debtor who chose to live in the Liberty was free from the risk of arrest within the Liberty, but unable to seek outside employment, and could only leave on Sundays, when no arrests for debts took place. This lasted until Parliament intervened in 1722 to abolish the Liberty. The slum was demolished in the late 19th century.