ABSTRACT
For several days in March 1673, the London Gazette advertised the launch of a lottery at a popular local coffeehouse. Comprising over eight thousand prizes of books, the lottery was organized by the cartographer and entrepreneur John Ogilby as a fundraiser for his production of the first-ever road atlas of England and Wales, which was eventually published in 1675 as Britannia:
Mr. Ogilby, for the better enabling him to carry on his Britannia, by an Actual Survey, &c, has lately erected his standing-Lottery of Books, at Mr. Garaways Coffee house in Exchange-Alley, near the Royal Exchange London, which opening the 7 of April next, will thence continue without Intermission, till wholly drawn of: Where all future Adventurers, may by themselves or Correspondents, daily put in their Money upon the Author, according to his Proposalls so generally approved of. 1
