thumb|upright|right|the coster's mansion, 1899 sheet music. costermonger, coster or costard is a street seller of fruit (such as apples) and vegetables, in london and other british towns. they were ubiquitous in mid-victorian england, and some are still found in markets. as usual with street-sellers, they would use a loud sing-song cry or chant to attract attention. their cart might be stationary at a market stall, or mobile (horse-drawn or wheelbarrow). the term is derived from the words costard (a now-extinct medieval variety of large, ribbed apple) and monger; i.e., seller. costers met a need for rapid food distribution from the central markets (e.g., spitalfields for fruit and vegetables, billingsgate for fish). their membership as a coster was signalled by their large neckerchief, known as a kingsman, tied round their necks. their hostility towards the police was legendary.chesney, kellow 1970. the victorian underworld. penguin. p50 the term is now often used to describe hawkers in general;roberts, chris, heavy words lightly thrown: the reason behind rhyme. thorndike press 2006. (isbn 0-7862-8517-6) sometimes a distinction is made between the two: a costermonger sells from a handcart or animal-drawn cart, while a hawker carries his wares in a basket. ==history==  costermongers have existed in london since at least the 16th century, when they were mentioned by shakespeare and marlowe. they probably were most numerous during the victorian era, when there were said to be over 30,000 in 1860. they gained a fairly unsavoury reputation for their "low habits, general improvidence, love of gambling, total want of education, disregard for lawful marriage ceremonies, and their use of a peculiar slang language" (john camden hotten, the slang dictionary, 1859). costers were notoriously competitive: respected "elder statespeople" in the costermonger community were elected as pearly kings and queens to keep the peace between rival costermongers.chesney, kellow 1970. the victorian underworld. penguin p43â56; 97â98. however, crimes such as theft were actually rare among costermongers themselves, especially in an open market where they tended to look out for one another. even common thieves 
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