BRITISH, Hanover. George III, 1760-1820. 2 Penny Token 1814 (Brass, 38 mm, 27.44 g, 12 h). CABBAGE SOCIETY✱ Head of cauliflower. Rev. Date 1814 between laurel and palm branches. MG 1009. Withers 1755. Good extremely fine.


The origins of this early club -often referred to as the "Cabbage Society"- remain obscure, though there are signs suggesting a Jewish affiliation. Supporting this theory are three slightly earlier tokens: a penny from 1796, along with a halfpenny and farthing from 1780. Each features the same unusual emblem and inscription found on the present piece, but they also include the word ‘PURIM’, hinting at a possible connection to Jewish tradition or festivities.

What complicates matters is the imagery itself. The emblem on the medal in question depicts not a cabbage, but rather a cauliflower. This botanical inconsistency opens the door to alternative interpretations. One intriguing possibility links the society to a group of tradesmen said to have met on Paternoster Row, in a room notable for its ceiling, where -according to local lore- a cabbage had been painted. Whether this painted ceiling gave rise to the society’s name, or vice versa, remains unknown.