The Important Collection of 18th Century Tokens formed by the late Dr David L Spence, of Pittsburgh (Part II)

Uncertain locality, W. Sheward, Halfpence, 1792 (3), edge coarse upright graining, 12.64g/6h (DH 928), fine upright graining, 12.97g/6h (DH 928a), edge obliquely grained, 11.59g/6h (DH 928b); Uncertain issuers: Mail Coach series, Halfpence (6), with initials jf (2), 9.20g/12h (DH 363), and a test piece overstruck on a George III Halfpenny, 1775, 8.90g/1h (dies of DH 363); with initials afh (2), 8.49g/12h (DH 366), and a rev. brockage turned in the die, 8.59g (die of DH 366); 1797 (2), 7.22g/12h (DH 364), 6.87g/12h (DH 365); I.M. & Co, Halfpence, 1795 (2), edge grained, 7.78g/1h (DH 911), edge plain, 8.69g/6h (DH 911b); Kempson’s ‘London Essex and Norfolk’ Halfpence (2), 10.26g/12h (DH 923), 9.59g/12h (DH 924); Lutwyche’s Westminster Halfpenny, 1792, edgbaston edge, 12.92g/6h (DH 929); ‘Honor and Use of Trade’ Halfpence (4), revs. ship (2), edge plain, 7.56g/6h (DH 925), dublin edge, 8.44g/2h (DH 925a), leopard’s head crest (2), reads fo, 7.40g/6h (DH 926), reads of, 8.18g/5h (DH 927); ‘London and Middlesex’ Farthing, 1793, 3.51g/5h (DH 1124) [19]. DH 925 fair, DH 926 and 927 fine, 928b extremely fine with original colour, others generally very fine, some better (£90-120)

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of 18th Century Tokens formed by Dr David L Spence.

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Collection

Provenance:
All except DH 925 Fawcett/Litman Collection, additionally:
DH 363, 911, 924, 928 and 929 F.W. Lincoln Collection, Glendining Auction, 12-13 February 1936, lots 252, 283, 284 and 285 (parts) [363 from Verity, 911 and 929 from Spink, 928 from J. Henry]
DH 363 test piece, 364, 365, 366, 366 brockage and 1124 W. Longman Collection, Glendining Auction, 12-13 March 1958, lots 166 and 212 (parts) [363 test and 366 brockage from Spink, 364 from R. Dalton December 1910, 365 from J.H. Daniels February 1922, 366 from Lincoln May 1914, 1124 from Lincoln December 1905]
*DH 928b bt C.E. Bullowa.

The series of mail coach tokens publicise the claims of John Palmer (1742-1818) to try and regain his post as Comptroller General, from which he was dismissed in 1793. Palmer introduced the first mail coaches in England in August 1784, from London to Bath and Bristol. It is possible that the sponsors of the earlier mail coach tokens, which can be reasonably dated to late 1794 and early 1795, were the engraver James Fittler, ARA (1758-1835), who engraved a famous painting of the Bath Mail, and the city merchant Antoine Francis Haldimand (1741-1817), founder of the banking house of Morris, Prevost & Co (Dykes, BNJ 2000, pp.97-100)