Glass bottom tankard

Pewter glass bottom tankard

The History & Legend

The transparent base is tied to a popular historical myth regarding the "King's Shilling". According to the legend, press gangs (recruitment officers for the British Royal Navy or Army) would slip a shilling coin into an unsuspecting drinker’s pint. If the drinker finished their beer and accepted the coin, it was legally binding consent to be conscripted. The glass bottom supposedly allowed drinkers to check for a coin at the bottom before finishing their ale. While mostly an urban legend (as press gangs generally didn't need such deception), it remains an iconic feature of traditional drinking vessels