Cumberland Jack Token - Victoria To Hanover

From page 26 of “Notes And Queries”, 4th Series - Volume 9th (Jan/Jun 1872)

The tokens & counters that bear the words "To Hanover" (commonly known as Cumberland Jacks) are usually found with Victoria's portrait on the obverse and a figure riding a horse on the reverse (in the style of St George slaying the dragon). They were produced as satirical counters.

The history behind these pieces is that when Victoria was crowned as Queen, she was unable to fulfill the role of King of Hanover under Salic Law, due to the fact that she was a female. Her unpopular Uncle (Ernest Augustus, the Duke of Cumberland) who was the oldest male heir to the throne was sent off to Hanover instead to fulfill the role, and the counters/tokens were produced to commemorate (celebrate) his departure. Such was his unpopularity that many of the tokens on closer inspection actually depict a monkey on horseback which was intended to portray the Duke.

They were produced around the time of Victoria's ascension to the throne in 1837 and continued to be produced for the next few decades. They were finally made illegal in 1883.