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

Bungay, Thomas Miller, Halfpenny, 1795, bust right, rev. beehive flanked by rays of the sun, books and manuscripts below, edge plain, 14.35g/6h (DH 20; Judson –). Extremely fine and extremely rare (£600-800)

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:
Fawcett/Litman Collection.

21 struck. Thomas Miller (1731-1804), b. Norwich, bookseller and coin collector (Longman, pp.59-61); his son, William (1769-1844) was one of London’s best-known publishers between 1790 and 1805, based at Old Bond street and later Albemarle street. Because the dies broke after so few specimens had been struck Miller prized them highly, initially selling examples for 18s. each, but the price had gone up to two and a half guineas by 1797