1793 G.BRIT D&H-833A 1/2P MIDDLESEX-SPENCE'S TOKEN NGC MS63 BN. This 1793 Great Britain D& H-833A ½ P Middlesex –Spence’s Token Conder token is lustrous on both sides. The surface granularity is as struck and does not detract from the grade. There are a few miniscule contact marks in the obverse field, and on the book on the reverse, which probably keep the piece out of the gem category. The obverse of this token depicts a man being hanged. It is inscribed “End of Pain,” which is a pun on Thomas Paine’ name, who in the 1790’s was hated by Englishmen. Most would feel that scene on the obverse would be a fitting end for him. The reverse shows a book upon which is inscribed “The Wrongs of Man,” a slap at Paine’s “The Rights of Man,” published in 1791. The date, January 21, 1793 is the inscription on the right leaf of the book. It is a reference to the date that King Louis XVI was executed. The implication is that just as Paine’s ideas led to the death of King Louis, so they would lead to the death of the English King.

Thomas Spence was a follower of Paine so it seems unlikely that he would have issued such a satirical token. Yet, it is attributed to him by Dalton & Hamer, writers of the classic work on British tradesman’s tokens. It was manufactured by Peter Kimpson.l

Conder Tokens are named after James Conder who was an early collector and cataloged these interesting pieces. They were used in place of regular copper coinage because of shortages from the late 1600’s to the late 1700’s. Most are lower the denominations of a penny or half penny.

Thomas Paine tokens are hot ! They are political and historical. In "A Guide Book of United States Tokens and Medals," we find anti-Paine and pro-Paine tokens were very popular here in the U.S. in the 1790s. Jaeger writes anti-Paine tokens were imported by such fellows as John Adams and Alexander Hamilton "to carry as pocket pieces." On the other hand, Thomas Jefferson and George Clinton carried pro-Paine tokens, according to the author.