The Late Robinson S. Brown Jr Collection

Political and Social series: Medals, Trial of Daniel Eaton, 1794, a silver medal for the London Corresponding Society, unsigned, cock standing left, rev. the king versus eaton, etc, around a list of the jurymen in 11 lines, 40mm, 25.80g/12h (DH 203; BHM 374). Extremely fine and attractively toned, of the highest rarity in silver £1,500-2,000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Late Robinson S. Brown Jr Collection.

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Provenance: Spink Auction 43, 18 April 1985, lot 462; W.J. Noble Collection, Part I, Noble Numismatics Pty, Auction 58B (Melbourne), 7-8 July 1998, lot 363; J. Spingarn Collection FPL (115); J. Spingarn Collection, DNW Auction 52, 28-9 November 2001, lot 1131; bt J.S. May 2002.

Only one other specimen in silver has been traced on the market (Murdoch sale, lot 195, bought by Hamer: as the piece did not pass through Hamer’s sale, it may be this same specimen)

This and the next lot were ordered by the London Corresponding Society and engraved by Florimond Goddard, a clock and watchmaker of 8 Rathbone place. Twelve silver versions were initially ordered (27 February 1794) for presentation to the jurymen concerned in Eaton's trial but two additional ones were added on 17 March 1794 for the two defence counsel (John Gurney and Felix Vaughan), although too late for their names to be included on the reverse. Fourteen silver versions were therefore finally struck. The medals were about to be issued to the recipients but were impounded by the authorities when Thomas Hardy, the founder and secretary of the Society, was arrested on 12 May 1794. Although dated 14 March 1794 it was not until July 1795 that they were returned to the Society and could be distributed to the recipients. According to the record copper and white metal versions of the medal (the latter for sale to members of the Society at 6d. each) were apparently also produced but I have found no mention of any gilt version (Information courtesy of David Dykes).