Quote:POLITICAL HARD TIMES TOKENS - MORE FUN LESS MONEY
P. J.
ANA 126469 / From NENA News, Vol. 54, No.2 - paraphrased
Hard Times Tokens (HTTs) are privately issued tokens that were produced between 1832-1844. They are commonly found in copper (but also available in other metals) and are usually about the size of a large cent. This was an interesting period in US history:
• The "Adolescence of America" - the Jacksonian period before the civil war
• Political parties were developing their ideologies
• The US banking and financial systems were under development - trial & error
• Illustrates how ill-advised manipulation of the financial system can lead to economic recession or depression
If you would like to collect this series, here are a few suggestions. As with any series, you should first get standard references, acquaint yourself with the items, check the prices and decide which items you want to collect and how much you are willing to pay. Like conventional coins, grades and prices vary. Keep in mind that assembling a set of HTTs can be more difficult than standard coins due to survival rates. Some examples are readily available while others are rarely encountered.
The first standard reference was Lyman H. Low's Hard Times Tokens, published in 1899, that included 183 types. Since that time, Hard Times Tokens have been cataloged with the identifying number assigned by Mr. Low. Russell Rulau reorganized Low's work in the late 1970s applying about 500 new numbers. Mr. Rulau included a pricing guide and added historical references explaining the significance of some inscriptions, legends and devices. The
Red Book includes illustrations and values of a few HTTs.
HTTs may be classified broadly into political tokens and store cards. Mr. Rulau classified tokens as follows:
• Tokens referring to the Bank of the United States
• Tokens bearing political or satirical slogans and images
• Tokens resembling
US Large Cents• Store cards or advertising pieces
• Die mulings (obverse / reverse die combinations.)
In addition to their connection to this period of U.S. history, Political Hard Times tokens can be desirable because:
• They make up a diverse but short type set.
• Since they are the size of large cents, details are easy to see.
• They are comparatively rare but affordable.
The following list of 25 tokens forms one example of a political HTT type set:
Posted 06/24/2021 2:14 pm
