Sloperian Token (Sloper’s Club) Circa 1880

Obverse

Sloper facing three-quarters left

Script: Latin

Lettering:
ALLY SLOPER’S HALF HOLIDAY
THE F.O.M.

Unabridged legend: Friend of Man

Reverse

Membership number impressed

6124 (circa 1880)

Script: Latin

Lettering:
SLOPER’S
CLUB
NOT TRANSFERABLE

Withers 3# 1891

Unc lustre 

Alexander “Ally” Sloper was a popular Victorian cartoon character whose first appearance was in “Judy” magazine in 1867. He was so popular that by 1884 had his own comic called Ally Sloper’s Half Holiday. A Sloperian Club flourished from 1904-1916 and members were given a membership medal and a club rule book.

Membership of the Sloper’s Club was open to anyone who purchased the satirical magazine Ally Sloper’s Half Holiday for 12 consecutive weeks. Member’s received the ‘Sloperian Token’, which entitled them to visit the club at 99 Shoe Lane, Fleet Street, and were entitled to use the post-nominal letters M.O.S.C. (Member of Sloper’s Club). By September 1899 membership stood at 9,956 members.