Struck for John Fowler in 1794, this halfpenny condor token gives a snapshot in time when the economic powerhouse known as the whale played a massive role in British life. Prized for its clean, bright flame and lack of smoke, whale oil was significantly more expensive than other oils but was much preferred for fine lighting applications. While 1794 was slightly after the peak of British whaling in 1788, there were still nearly 250 vessels involved in the industry. They returned to the British homeland with an annual aggregate tonnage of 73,000 tons and employed about 10,000 men! These ships would have traversed the South Atlantic and passed through the dangerous waters of Drake’s Passage until they entered the Pacific. After filling their holds with barrels of oil, they returned and contributed up to 53% of all GBP sterling earned by direct exports to Great Britain from the northern colonies between 1768 and 1772.