1812 AD., England, Halfpenny Token, soldier's pay in Spain and Canada.

Great Britain, soldier's pay in Spain and Canada, 1812 AD.,
Halfpenny Token (27 mm / 7,68 g),
Obv.: WELLINGTON HISPANIAM ET LVSITANIAM RESTITVIT ("Wellington restored Spain and Portugal") , laureate military bust of Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington left.
Rev.: CUIDAD / RODRIGO / JAN . 19 . 1812 / BADAJOZ / APRIL 2 . 1812 . / SALAMANCA / JULY . 22 . 1812 . / &c.&c.&c. - inscription within linear circle; around: VIMIERA AUG 21 . 1808 . TALAVERA JULY 28 . 1809 . ALMEIDA MAY 5 . 1811* , a list of Wellington´s victories in the Peninsular War til 1812.
BHM 742 ; Bramsen 1177 ; d'Essling - 1386 ; Eimer, Wellington 243b .

One of the most common medals of the Napoleonic era this also functioned as a halfpenny token. It was used as soldier's pay in both Spain and Canada. Wellington tokens, with the bust of Wellington on them, were struck for use in England during the Peninsular Campaign of the Napoleonic wars, but withdrawn there fairly quickly and many of them were shipped to the Canadian colonies. They were used mostly in Lower Canada where they were the primary type of half penny used there at the time. The peninsular tokens were produced for the use of Wellington's army in Spain and Portugal. They were ordered by J. Picard of Hull from the Birmingham factory of the button and medal maker Sir Edward Thomason. The Wellington tokens were struck at Thomason's press with dies and punches cut by Thomas Halliday, a die-sinker located on Newhall Street in Birmingham.

In 1807 a joint Franco-Spanish ultimatum had been delivered to the Portuguese demanding that they close their ports to Britain and declare war against her. On the 30th November General Junot at the head of a French army entered Lisbon and French and Spanish troops occupied key fortresses. By March 1808 the French had taken over the government of Spain. In May, a delegation from Spain asked for British help and were supplied with arms and money. It was on the 20th July that Wellesley landed at Corunna.
The war lasted from 1808 until 1814 and was really only one phase in the wars with France that had lasted from 1793 until 1815. In 1808 Sir Arthur Wellesley took command in Portugal and was created Viscount Wellington in 1809. He was successively created Earl, in 1812, Marquis 1812, and Duke in 1814. Wellington's avowed aim was 'the absolute evacuation of the Peninsular by the troops of France'.