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

Warwick, The Greatheed Petition to Dismiss the King’s Ministers, 1797, a copper medal, unsigned, three men in cart exhorting the crowds on either side, gallows above, rev. as if from temple bar some head was cut, and on rebelling trunk the face was put, 36mm, 20.36g/12h (DH 7; BHM 444). Reverse partly weak, otherwise good very fine, very rare (£400-500)

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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Provenance:
W.J. Noble Collection, Noble Numismatics Pty Auction 58B (Melbourne), 7-8 July 1998, lot 922 [from Baldwin 1978]
bt R. Gladdle November 1998.

On 31 May 1797 a meeting was held at Warwick racecourse to promote a petition to the King to secure the dismissal of his ministers. The proposer of it was Bertie Greatheed, the county sheriff, a devotee of the Whig party and an ardent admirer of the earlier stages of the French revolution. The three people depicted in the cart are Dr Samuel Parr (1747-1825), curate of Hatton, the Revd J.H. Williams, vicar of Wellesbourne, and Greatheed himself