Owner Comments:
Middlesex Spence DH #707
Obverse: Advertising for Thomas Spence's bookstore. Under a radiation T SPENCE BOOKSELLER DEALER * IN PRINTS . & . COINS in 7 lines, surrounded by LITTLE TURN STILE NO. 8 HOLBORN LONDON
Reverse: A Christ's Hospital scholar holding a hat in his right hand A BLUE COAT BOY
Edge: SPENCE X DEALER X IN X COINS X LONDON X
Diesinker: Charles James
Manufacturer: Thomas Spence
Rarity: Common
The school opened in 1552, founded by King Edward VI. The school was founded to provide care for fatherless and poor children of London. The school is located to the south of Horsham in West Sussex. The famous uniform worn by its scholars consists of a long blue coat belted at the waist, worn with matching knee breeches, yellow socks and a white neck band.
Often referred to as the first socialist, Thomas Spence was born in 1750 in Newcastle-upon Tyne and was an English radical, advocating for common ownership of the land and equality of the sexes. He was one of the leading revolutionaries of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He left Newcastle for London in 1787 and had a book shop ‘The Hive of Liberty’ at 8 Little Turnstile, High Holborn. He published a weekly tabloid “Pigs Meat, or Lessons for the Swinish Multitude, Collected by the Poor Man’s Advocate” where he advocated for reforms. He was a member of the London Corresponding Society and was imprisoned multiple times. He spent 7 months in Newgate Goal in 1794 charged with high treason and 12 months in 1801 for seditious libel. He died in London on 8 September 1814.
One of Thomas Spence's many political tokens.
Atkins, Middlesex 540
Davisson Sale #30, 11 October 2011