Halfpenny of Lackington Allen & Co. cheapest booksellers in the world. [realia]

"A trade token issued by the famed bookseller James Lackington (1746-1815), the same year he opened the Temple of the Muses, 'one of the wonders of London' (Oxford DNB); with reputedly a million books on display, it was at the time the biggest bookshop in the world. Tokens such as these were issued in many places in England in the late eighteenth century, when the government failed to mint enough copper coinage for the conduct of business. According to Oxford DNB, Lackington issued thousands of such tokens, which were only valid at his shop. All were struck by Lutwyche of Birmingham."--British Museum online catalogue