Auction of 18th-Century British Theatre Token Granting Free Shows for Life

An 18th-century theater token that offered free shows for life at a theater in Bristol, United Kingdom, was sold at an auction on Saturday. The Bristol Theatre, which is still in operation, plans to honor the token’s offer if it is determined to be authentic.

The token, dated for the theater’s opening on May 30, 1766, was sold for £9,200 ($11,155) by the Henry Aldridge & Son auction house. The silver token was one of 50 minted for the original shareholders of the theater. Each shareholder contributed £50, which was a significant amount in the 1760s. The token that was auctioned off was the 35th one to be minted.

According to a spokesperson for Henry Aldridge & Son, it is believed that 20 of these theater tokens have survived, but only a few have ever been offered at auction. The vendors of this token are from Bristol and consider it an important piece of local history.

Each token holder was entitled to free entry to all performances held at the theater for life. The Bristol Old Vic, as it is now called, is still open and its officials have stated that they will honor the offer on this token by providing free tickets to the buyer.

“We famously uphold our policy for all the tokens that have been authenticated. If it is indeed authentic, we will honor our policy and provide free tickets to the owner,” said a representative from Bristol Old Vic.