Cragg Vale Coiners
Encyclopedia
David Hartley, who lived at a farm called Bell House, was the leader of the gang of Cragg Vale
coiners in rural 18th Century England.
Led by "King" David Hartley, the Coiners obtained real coins from publicans and sometimes on the promise that they could "grow" the investment by smelting the original metals with base ores. Historically, their form of organised crime followed the earlier activities of the Highwayman
, upon whom the subject of crime and punishment had caught up with.
They also removed the coins' genuine edges and milled them again, and used the clippings. The original gold coins were only slightly smaller.
Designs were punched into the blank "coins" with a hammer and a "coining kit". The Coiners then had their accomplices place the fakes into circulation. Most of the counterfeit coins had French, Spanish, or Portuguese designs.
The Cragg Coiners
were so successful because the region of Yorkshire
they operated within was isolated from centralised England
.
The story of this particular gang was used as a basis in the independently published graphic novel
, The Last Coiner written by Peter M. Kershaw http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2314881/, where David Hartley has become David Hawksworth and is portrayed by the actor, Keith Patrick
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2580349/. There is an anticipated feature film to be completed.
Cragg Vale
Cragg Vale is a village in Calderdale, West Yorkshire, England, located south of Mytholmroyd on the B6138 road which joins the A58 and the A646.-Early Days:There is evidence of human activity on the Yorkshire moors around Cragg from c. 10,000 BC...
coiners in rural 18th Century England.
Led by "King" David Hartley, the Coiners obtained real coins from publicans and sometimes on the promise that they could "grow" the investment by smelting the original metals with base ores. Historically, their form of organised crime followed the earlier activities of the Highwayman
Highwayman
A highwayman was a thief and brigand who preyed on travellers. This type of outlaw, usually, travelled and robbed by horse, as compared to a footpad who traveled and robbed on foot. Mounted robbers were widely considered to be socially superior to footpads...
, upon whom the subject of crime and punishment had caught up with.
They also removed the coins' genuine edges and milled them again, and used the clippings. The original gold coins were only slightly smaller.
Designs were punched into the blank "coins" with a hammer and a "coining kit". The Coiners then had their accomplices place the fakes into circulation. Most of the counterfeit coins had French, Spanish, or Portuguese designs.
The Cragg Coiners
Cragg Coiners
The Cragg Vale Coiners were a band of counterfeiters in England, based in Cragg Vale, near Halifax, West Yorkshire. They produced fake gold coins in the late 18th century to supplement small incomes from weaving.-Activities:Led by "King" David Hartley, the Coiners obtained real coins from...
were so successful because the region of Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
they operated within was isolated from centralised England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
The story of this particular gang was used as a basis in the independently published graphic novel
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
, The Last Coiner written by Peter M. Kershaw http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2314881/, where David Hartley has become David Hawksworth and is portrayed by the actor, Keith Patrick
Keith Patrick
Keith Patrick is an actor and film maker with a background that has included a number of independently produced films.Leading actor of the experimental film-short, 'Work is Pointless’ as the travelling man. Premiered at County Limerick's Belltable Arts Centre, as an opener for the Irish Premier of...
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2580349/. There is an anticipated feature film to be completed.