Very cool new Conder Token came in the mail today! - Middlesex 833a

Aethelred

D&H Middlesex 833a - Brown Unc.

I love this one! The obverse shows a man hanging on a gibbet with a church in the backdrop, a Union Jack is being flown from the church. The inscription reads "END OF PAIN." The reverse shows an open book that reads "THE WRONGS OF MAN" on the left leaf and "JAN.y 21: 1793." on the right leaf.

I had to think about this one for a while before I understood the political message that the designer of this token was trying to convey, but I believe this is it: The inscription "END OF PAIN" is a pun on Thomas Paine, who was hated by most Englishmen of the 1790s. The designer is suggesting that the obverse scene would in fact be a welcome end to Thomas Paine.

The inscription "THE WRONGS OF MAN" is an obvious jab at Paine's book "The Rights of Man" which was published in 1791. The date on the right leaf of the book 21 January 1793 is the date that King Louis XVI of France was executed. The suggestion here is that Paine's ideas lead to the death of the King of France and would do the same for the King of England if his ideas were to gain a following there.

AuldFartte

Aw, THAT is so Aethelred!!!

Aethelred

I love the macabre design and the glimpse at political dialogue of the 18th century. This token has even prompted me to dig out my copy of the works of Thomas Paine and read it again!

farthing

Nailed that one Aethelred!

The last 2 issues of the Conder Token Collector's Journal have had an article by the late R. C. Bell on the life of Thomas Paine. Very interesting reading!

cosmicdebris

Great token and story behind it.

Aethelred

Of all the thousands of Conder tokens out there, this is the design I wanted most!

MSD61

So glad you could score the one you wanted Michael!! That is a really cool token

kryptonitecomics

Where did you find that one???? Very nice in my opinion, I love the color on that one

Aethelred

I am not going to spill the beans on where I bought it because I want more stuff from these people.

spinaker2000

how much for me to keep quiet??? $$$$$$$$

Aethelred

<< <i>how much for me to keep quiet??? $$$$$$$$ >>



PM sent!

historygeek

That reminds me, I need to brush up on my constitutional classics too.

sirlamre

that is _truly_ neat....

spinaker2000

better up the price ol' dead one.

Aethelred

I just sent Spinaker a PM telling him in VERY PLAIN terms what would happen to him if he let the cat out of the bag! I told him I'd tell Mrs. Ajaan that he has been badmouthing her! I think he got scared and left!

spinaker2000

I have not gone anywhere, still here. Unless you retract all your foul mouth language in your pm about the lovely Mrs. Ajaan, I'll let the kitty outta da bag!! And your special lil' copper coins will no longer be a secret.

Aethelred

I don't have a foul mouth
and these are not coins, they are tokens!

spinaker2000

cacheman

History, sarcasm, satire...what more could you want?

spinaker2000

<< <i>History, sarcasm, satire...what more could you want? >>



Got Goetz???

Aethelred

<< <i>History, sarcasm, satire...what more could you want? >>



I have one coming that is a pro-Paine token (no, not the gas). I've always loved the politics of this period, talk about nasty! For me collecting is all about connecting with the past, to many collectors this would be a neat token and nothing more, but without knowing the background it is just a disk of copper.

Conder101

I've always wanted one of the "End of Pain" series tokens (827 - 838) but they tend to be very popular and too expensive for an item that isn't really part of my main collecting goals. They get a double whammy since they are desired in their own right, and by collectors of Spence tokens (676 - 901 Yes, 225 tokens issued by one person).

theboz11

Aethelred

Does anyone know if this is really a Spence issue?

MacCrimmon

Great wit there, eh? Nice token!

Aethelred

<< <i>Great wit there, eh? >>



What do you want to bet Paine didn't find it funny?

Conder101

Looks like you are right. Although they are listed in the middle of the Spence tokens it looks like they probably aren't. According to Waters Spence was a Paine supporter and 831 - 838 were probably made by either Kempson or Lutwyche.

Aethelred

Where in the Waters book did you find that Mike?

Conder101

Page 17. Under the listing for 827 - 830 "These 'End of Pain' dies were never used by Spence, for he had no desire to see Tom Paine finish his life upon an English gibbet." Now I will admit I am inferring from that a support for Paine but I doubt if I am too far off.

The part about the tokens being struck be either Kempson or Lutwyche is the first part of the first sentence under 831 - 838.

Aethelred

Spence was a radical republican and supporter of Paine. He was arrested in 1793 for selling The Rights of Man and was himself the author of Pigs Meat, which is radical even in the terms of our day.

Askari

Aethelred

ttt for Jester

1jester

Thanks! That is wild. Nice history too.