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

Sheffield, Constitutional Society, Skidmore’s Halfpenny, 1792, cap of Liberty on pole, rev. oval shield flanked by four flags, unite & be free above, to preserve is to conquer below, edge payable at macclesfield liverpool or congleton, 12.16g/6h (DH 61). Extremely fine and attractively patinated, rare (£200-300)

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;
W. Sykes Collection, Spink Auction 51, 16 April 1986, lot 245.

The Sheffield Constitutional Society was founded at the end of 1791 by Joseph Gales (1761-1841). Gales, born at Eckington, Derbyshire, was a printer by trade who moved to Sheffield in 1784. He met Thomas Paine who urged him to start publishing his own radical newspaper, and the first edition of the Sheffield Register appeared in June 1787. This successful paper combined a fresh outlook on local matters with lively political comment penned by Gales, and by May 1794 was selling 2,000 copies a week. Through his media contacts Gales was recruited to serve on the committee of the London Corresponding Society, while back in Sheffield he had organised a petition in support of universal suffrage, which 8,000 inhabitants of the city signed. His activities were brought to the attention of William Pitt, whose government was distrustful of the radical movement in Sheffield and had moved to start arresting members of the various corresponding societies. Charged with conspiracy, Gales fled to Germany in June 1794. He subsequently emigrated to the USA, settling in Philadelphia where he edited the Independent Gazetteer, then moving to Raleigh, NC in October 1799 to begin the Raleigh Register. Sold with much further background information