Scarce Gye's Bookseller Bath Halfpenny 1794

Scarce William Gye's Bath (Somerset) copper Conder halfpenny token dated 1794. Obverse: Arms of the City of Bath with date below: "W. GYE PRINTER & STATIONER BATH 1794". Reverse: Benevolence directing her messenger to open a prison. In the foreground are some urns and in the sky, the radiating words "GO FORTH", with legend: "REMEMBER THE DEBTORS IN ILCHESTER GOAL*". Edge inscription: "PAYABLE AT W. GYE'S PRINTER BATH X.X". Listed in Bell's "Commercial Coins 1787-1804" as "SCARCE". William Gye was a bookseller, printer and stationer with a business at No. 13, Market Place, Bath. He was also Agent to the Ilchester Debtors and visited the jail weekly, hence the subject of the reverse. Lovely collectable condition with slight obverse die clash, see photograph.

D&H Somerset No: 34. Diameter 29mm. EF. £45.00

e-mail David at d-stuart@d-stuart.demon.co.uk to order.