Bristol Old Vic theatre token from 1766 sold for £9k

A theatre token dating from 1766 which allows the owner unlimited access to shows has sold for more than £9,000.

One of 50 minted for the original shareholders at the Bristol Old Vic, the token was expected to reach between £1,500 and £2,500 at auction.

However, it sold for £9,200 at Henry Aldridge & Sons auction house in Devizes on Saturday.

Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge said the price was a "reflection of the rarity of the token".

He added: "With so few of these known, collectors tend to go the extra mile to acquire an object when they know it could be the only chance they have for years to get their hands on the item."

Some 50 original shareholders, or proprietors, each received one of the silver tokens in return for raising £50 each - a substantial sum in the 18th Century - to fund the construction of the theatre.

The inscription on the token reads: "The proprietor of this ticket is entitled to the sight of every performance to be exhibited in this house."

The reverse reads: "King Street, Bristol Theatre, May 30, 1766."

A Bristol Old Vic spokesperson, when questioned about whether the new owner would be given free access to shows, said: "If it is, indeed, authentic we will honour our policy and provide free tickets to the owner".

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