The Collection of 18th Century Tokens formed by Dr David L Spence

Halfpence (4), countermarked parochial partnership in land/is spence’s plan, 6.50g/6h; spence’s plan small farms/& every blessing, 6.93g/6h; spence’s plan small farms/& fat bairns you rogues, 6.99g/10h; spence’s plan you fools/or starvation for ever, 6.75g/1h (cf. Thompson, BNJ 1969, p.156) [4]. First overstruck on an Irish Halfpenny, 1776, others with indeterminate undertypes, countermarks very fine (£80-100)

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:
First three M.Z. Gerson Collection, Part I, Spink Auction 53, 19 June 1986, lot 302.

First only illustrated. Spence’s countermarked pieces, advancing his plan for agrarian reform, are believed to have first appeared sometime after he sold his token dies to Peter Skidmore (Thompson, BNJ 1969, p.155). By the early 1800s Spence had established himself as the unofficial leader of those radicals who advocated revolution. He did not believe in a centralized radical body, but rather encouraged the formation of small groups that could meet in local public houses. At night men walked the streets and chalked on the walls slogans such as ‘Spence's Plan and Full Bellies’ and ‘The Land is the People's Farm’. In 1800 and 1801 the authorities believed that Spence and his followers were responsible for bread riots in London, but they did not have enough evidence to arrest them