Obv: Bust of Spence facing left, T. SPENCE 7 MONTHS IMPRISON’D FOR HIGH TREASON around, JAMES 1794 (retrograde 4) under bust. Rev: Britannia seated, ROUSE BRITANNIA above. Edge: Plain.
Uncirculated and Choice brown. Great surfaces. Obverse a bit off struck.
Known as the first socialist, Thomas Spence was a thorn in the side of the crown during his time. His shop, ‘The Hive of Liberty’, was the source of his publication, ‘Pig’s Meat, or Lessons for the Swinish Multitude, Collected by the Poor Man’s Advocate’. After he declared bankruptcy, he sold his dies to Peter Skidmore, who would proceed to mule his dies with others, creating a whole different take on Spence’s dies.