Token
1791 (pressing)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The Theatre Royal Margate is Britain's second oldest surviving theatre, opened in 1787. Metal 'pass checks' such as this one were bought by the theatregoer at the box office and passed to the 'check-taker' at the entrance to the correct part of the theatre. The tokens were then checked against the box office takings each night.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Pressed metal |
| Brief description | Token for Margate Theatre, 1791 |
| Physical description | Circular coin-like theatre token, pressed from metal, with writing along the edge of the circle, and in the middle. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Production type | Mass produced |
| Marks and inscriptions |
|
| Gallery label | Tokens and tickets
Theatres issued metal tokens as a sign of payment as early as 1755. Later, card or paper tickets were introduced. The first card tickets were produced for benefit performances. Often beautifully decorated, they were kept as souvenirs in their own right.
Today many tickets are just computerised receipts and can be printed from the internet. Or, where security is an issue, tickets are exchanged for wrist bands.
Token for the Margate Theatre, Kent
1791
Metal
Museum no. S.132-1986
Ticket for the Metropolitan Theatre, London
Benefit for W. Gower and J. Torry
1878
Letterpress
Museum no. S.2558-1986
Ticket for a Rod Stewart concert
1978
Brighton Centre, Brighton
Offset litho
Museum no. S.22-2008
Wristbands for a Led Zeppelin concert
2007
02 Arena, London
Plastic
Museum no. CONS.3-2008(2008) |
| Summary | The Theatre Royal Margate is Britain's second oldest surviving theatre, opened in 1787. Metal 'pass checks' such as this one were bought by the theatregoer at the box office and passed to the 'check-taker' at the entrance to the correct part of the theatre. The tokens were then checked against the box office takings each night. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.132-1986 |
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| Record created | July 1, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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