Metal tankards often come with a glass bottom. The legend is that the glass bottomed tankard was developed as a way of refusing the King's shilling, i.e. conscription into the British army or navy. The drinker could see the coin in the bottom of the glass and refuse the drink, thereby avoiding conscription. However, this is likely to be a myth. In a bar fight, the first punch was thrown while the recipient had the tankard raised to his mouth; another legend has it , the glass bottom was implemented so as to see the attack coming. A further story is, the glass bottom merely allowed the drinker to judge the clarity of their drink while forgoing the expense of a fragile pint glass.