A COIN created for Chipping’s most famous resident has returned to the village after 340 years.

The trade token, which is believed to be unique, bears the name of John Brabin, a wealthy cloth merchant who helped build parts of the Ribble Valley village.

It was bought at a postal auction by a consortium of local people and bears the inscription ‘John Brabin of Chipping in Lancashire 1668 His Halfpenny’.

It is now on show at Brabin’s Shop and Gallery in Talbot Street in the village.

Private tokens were minted by shopkeepers because there was a shortage of small coins at the time. The practice stopped in 1672.

The shop is owned by the Brabin’s Trust, which was set up by money left in Brabin’s will to support education and help the poor of Chipping, Thornley and Bowland-with-Leagram.

Paul Hunt, who has run the shop with his wife, Laura, for more than four years, said the token was part of a collection built up by an enthusiast who died recently.

He said: “It is a tangible link to the past of the village and we believe it is the only one in existence.

“We are very pleased that we have managed to bring it back to the village and there were many people, particularly the local history society, who helped to raise the funds.

“It was probably used in these premises 340 years ago and it seemed like the right thing to do.”