Obv: A Sailor seizing a landsman, BRITISH LIBERTY DISPLAYED. (around). 1795. Rev: A man and an ass, heads conjoined, ODD FELLOWS below, A MILLION HOG A GUINEA PIG around, 1795 above. Edge: PAYABLE IN LONDON, remainder engrailed.
Uncirculated and Proof-like. Choice. Scarce.
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.