1-237-161 - London Metropolitan Archives (London Picture Archive)/Heritage Images

'The Bubblers Medley, or a Sketch of the Times', 1720. Satire on the South Sea Bubble of 1711-1720; the verse 'The Dutch Bubblers', an illustration of 'Mint Coffee House', the playing card Jack of Hearts, a picture of Quinquempoix Street, the verse 'The Bubble Poem', a Stock-jobbing cards, and the front page of 'The London Gazette'. The South Sea Bubble was a hoax, centred on the South Sea Company which had been founded in order to trade with Spanish America on the assumption that the War of the Spanish Succession would end soon with a favourable treaty allowing trading. The Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 was not as favourable as hoped, although confidence was boosted when George I became governor of the company. However by September 1720 the market had collapsed and many investors were ruined.