It could be trade from New Orleans, or could be from the nobility who fled
to Azilum in NW Pennsylvania. Rech Penn could mean the Pennsylvania colony.
There was an article on Azilum in HA I think, or IJHA. As the nobility fled
the French revolution, this fits the date you have.
regards,
suzanne

2011/9/1 Jay and Beth Stottman <[log in to unmask]>

> Some of my colleagues at the Kentucky Archaeological Survey found a token
> which we have identified as a French jeton in an early nineteenth century
> context in downtown Lexington, Kentucky.  This is the only one that we know
> of that has been found in Kentucky and perhaps the region.  We would like
> to
> know where else these artifacts have been found archaeologically and about
> their context.  Also, we are looking to explain why it was there and what
> its value might have been to someone on the frontier at that time.  If
> anyone has found or knows where jetons have been found previously, we would
> greatly appreciate some information.  Here is a description of the jeton
> that we found.
>
>
>
> The jeton is French but manufactured in Nuremberg. The token is brass with
> gold plating. The obverse contains a bust of Louis XVI surrounded by the
> Latin phrase Ludovicus decimus-sextus Dei gratiâ Franciœ Navarrœ Rex. The
> image on the reverse face portrays Diana with a bow (on left), hunting dog
> (center), and trees (on right). The phrase Rech Penn is also stamped on the
> upper part of the reverse. The rim of the token is decorated with a grano
> di
> riso (grains of rice), or hashed, pattern. Based on the identifiable
> decorative elements, we think this jeton was likely manufactured sometime
> between 1774 and 1791.
>
>
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
>
>
> Jay
>
>
>
> M. Jay Stottman
>
> Staff Archaeologist
>
> Kentucky Archaeological Survey
>