Beggar's badge

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This communion token is believed to have been used as a beggar's badge in the parish of Leuchars in Fife. It is made of lead and dates from 1734.

The oblong badge has the inscription 'Leuch' and the date, 1734. There is a single perforation near the centre.

Beggar's badges were worn by individual beggars to identify them and to allow them to move freely from place to place. In medieval and early modern times, beggars were generally valued and respected for the news they carried and for their craftsmanship or their medical or musical skills. This only changed with industrialisation, when the numbers begging rapidly increased

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-100-002-205-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  H.KJA 70
• Date: 1734
  
• Material: Badge, beggar's
  
• Dimensions: 20 mm x 17 mm
  
• What: Badge, beggar's
  
• Subject: Badges and insignia (NMAS Classification)
  
• Who:
• Where: Scotland, Fife, Leuchars
  
• Event:
• Description: Perforated communion token believed to have been used as a beggar's badge, Leuchars, 1734
  
• References:
  • Brook, A.J.S. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquities of Scotland 21 (1886-7), pp 169-179 
• Translations:
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