1829 Half Cent - What Was Done To It ?

Hi biokemist6. Appreciate the welcoming acknowledgement. It's funny how two or more folks can look at something and notice different things. When I first looked at my unicorn, I never noticed the cigar within the design.

Back in NY, I was on a coin club grading committee. Each month, we'd pass members' auction consignments around the table. Committee members would spot different characteristics about the same coin. That process generated many an interesting discussion. At the end of the night, many of us would be shaking our heads over some such coin, thinking, "How'd I miss that?"

I recently spotted one of these <b>UNICORN</b> counterstamps getting bids on ebay and was reminded of this early thread on the subject. Here's a link to the current listing .... https://www.ebay.com/itm/266635039019

Going on fourteen years now, since my last post in this thread, I've since done some in-depth research on this issue and since penned an article for <i>Talkin' Tokens</i>, journal of the National Token Collectors' Association, NTCA.

In a nutshell, my theory is that this issue emanated from the Unicorn Tavern which was a landmark establishment outside Philadelphia. It was located on what was then known as the Conestoga Turnpike; hence, the <b>CT</b> c/s that appears below the <b>UNICORN</b> pictorial.

I've developed what I believe to be compelling circumstantial evidence for this admittedly tentative attribution. For starters, a large number of early counterstamps, circa 1830 to 1850's, had their roots in the Philadelphia. I can cite numerous merchant c/s examples to show this. It's easily understandable that this first "mint city" would be a central location for counterstamping coins in those early days.

The Unicorn Tavern was established in 1747 and continued in business until February 14, 1872 when it was consumed in a fire. Tavern names were often associated with animals (e.g. - lion, ram, boar, etc.) and their artful signs often displayed images of same. Coincidentally, there were early mile markers along the Conestoga Turnpike that displayed images. But one of these was known to have survived, bearing the image of another legendary animal, a griffin. The mile marker near the Unicorn Tavern was destroyed, circa 1800. The unicorn stamp is quite similar to tavern-like signage of the era which sported designs of animal heads, and a nearby, replica milestone displays that artfully etched mythical griffin.

The roadway along which the Unicorn Tavern resided was commonly known as the Conestoga Turnpike. This would explain the CT stamping, directly below the unicorn image, literally indicating the name and location. There was a "Little Conestoga Turnpike Company as early as 1812. Record of an 1821 Governor's voucher for $127.67 was payable to this company which was referenced as the "CT'k" (Conestoga Turnpike) company. Later, in 1853, a "Unicorn Turnpike Co." was formed; this, suggestive of the historical significance of the tavern. Thus, we see a continuous mingling of the terms Conestoga, turnpike and unicorn for over five decades. The unicorn turnpike marker has long been missing, but one was reported to have existed. Whether it displayed an image of a unicorn is unknown, but it's a logical assumption, given the known marker that bears the griffin image.

The below pictured sketch of the Unicorn Tavern was drawn by Dr. Isaac Johnson. He was a resident therein, circa 1850 to 1870. Note the corner sign; perhaps, also a mile marker. Might a unicorn
have then been displayed upon it? My guess is that the original wooden sign was likely destroyed many years prior.



The Unicorn experienced a succession of owners and name changes over the years, but it was frequently rechristened as the Unicorn. This Irish tavern served as a landmark establishment near mile marker fourteen. Frequented by Tories or Loyalists, the Unicorn stood near to the Spread Eagle Tavern which was contrastingly a venue for patriots. Local historians noted that fist fights often broke out between these sparring factions. Local history has it that English troops made the Unicorn their headquarters, whereas Washington's troops had boarded at the nearby Spread Eagle Tavern when enroute from Valley Forge to Philadelphia..

The Lancaster highway followed the wilderness path of early Indian trails. In the middle 1790's, it became the first stone turnpike in the country, extending 62 miles. Its completion made travel for the Conestoga wagons much smoother. The turnpike became commonly called the Conestoga road, given the continual wagon traffic, and it hosted a good many taverns that served travelers thereon. The Little Conestoga Turnpike, authorized in 1812, diverged to the northwest off the Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike in East Whiteland Township, Chester County and continued on to Reading. As the highway was extended westward, it was no longer "little" by the 1830's.

These <b>UNICORN / CT</b> c/s's, typically appearing Turban Head Half Cents, appear to date into the late 1830's. As evidenced by newspaper articles at that time, the Unicorn Tavern was a meeting place for the local militia which was probably somewhat of a fraternal gathering.

The notice below appeared in the <i>Lancaster Intelligencer and Journal</i>, dated May 2, 1837. Militia members of the 65th Regiment were therein commanded to meet on May 8 at the Unicorn Tavern in Drumore Township; this, for training and exercising.



Might the militia members have been issued these c/s'd Half Cents as passes for the turnpike when they met at the Unicorn Tavern? Or perhaps, these stamped coins were merely fraternal ID's of sorts; this, akin to masonic pieces? Questions abound as always with pieces like this.

Subsequently, notice of a citizen's meeting appeared in the <i>Lancaster Intelligencer and Journal</i> on September 3, 1839; this, to be held at the house of John Watson, the Unicorn proprietor. Its purpose was to choose three township delegates. So, these c/s's may possibly have served other Unicorn patrons?

Prior researchers of this c/s issue have suggested it was connected to a brand of Unicorn cigars. This cigar supposition, having been published many years ago, has since morphed into a "gospel" attribution of sorts. While this unicorn image certainly appears to be emanating from a smoky cigar, no true evidence to support that supposition has as yet surfaced. Consequently, that loose cigar attribution presently remains "up in smoke." ....

It's always interesting to read your research, but I wonder if this counterstamp is not merely a generic promotion of Connecticut tobacco. It seems too obscure to put CT on a coin to refer to the Conestoga Turnpike and a specific pub - who outside the region would understand the reference? Wikipedia says "By 1700, tobacco was being exported via the Connecticut River to European ports. The use of Connecticut Valley tobacco as a cigar wrapper leaf began in the 1820s" and also "It [broadleaf tobacco] was in such high demand that during the Civil War the Connecticut Valley yielded up to ten million pounds per year." Clearly it was a big business. One thread I found says that 20 out of 40 coins are 1829. One reference says that in 1829 "Cutting British import taxes in half put cigars in the reach of a great many more English smokers. Importation of cigars multiplies eight-fold." The impact on the Connecticut tobacco industry of that event in 1829 must have been huge. Celebrate it with a counterstamp?

The connection of the general CT tobacco industry to a unicorn is hard to guess, but it's clearly a cigar with smoke forming a unicorn, so what's the connection between cigars and the Unicorn Tavern? What did unicorn mean in the early 1800s? Did it also mean desirable but difficult to obtain?

Hope I didn't sound too critical of your research. I looked up "Connecticut cigar" and to this day they're still promoting expensive cigars with Connecticut-grown wrappers. So I wondered if it was a generic promotion, like from a coalition of tobacco growers, instead of a very specific tavern, which seems difficult to discern from the counterstamp. Maybe it wasn't hard to understand in the wider region during that time. From your posts I'm used to thinking of these as readily identifiable, like "so-and-so mercantile, Boston MA" instead of a mysterious logo with a giant turnpike abbreviation. For what it's worth, I have a hard time seeing that as a "unicorn's cigar-like collar" - to me it's clearly a cigar.

No problem. I welcome healthy criticism. I'm really surprised that you can't discern the unicorn's image .... two ears, long snout with a nasal cavity and a sharp, protruding horn.

Beyond the whimsical unicorn image, itself, I've yet to see one iota of circumstantial evidence that connects this to a cigar company, I'd LOVE to see that, and that's in part why I resurrected this thread. I'm hoping that someone will eventually find some concrete info, such as I've done, to build a bridge to a solid attribution.

As for the CT representing Connecticut, I've yet to see an early c/s that provides simply a state location; this, absent a town or city. Many an early c/s will show a NY location following the name. In all such cases that I've researched, the NY always translates to NY City, The state location was far too broad for advertising back in the 1830's. If "Unicorn Cigars" were a statewide product in the 1830's, why isn't such a popular product to be found on the map, so to speak?

One other thought .... Cigars are products. If indeed, these unicorn c/s's were intended to promote a product on a state-wide basis, why is there no advertising to be found? It simply doesn't make sense that all but a few handfuls of Half Cents would serve as an ad campaign, does it? Most of the earlier c/s's, prior to the 1850's, it seems, served utilitarian purposes more so than as a means of advertising. The "little billboard" fad that Brunk referenced, tended to bloom in the 1850's. And, those pieces typically bore a specific address so that the merchant could be found. If one wanted a Unicorn Cigar, just where in CT would he find one?

@kbbpll ... The way I see it, the cigar appears as a collar on the unicorn image as a whole, and the smoke, rising from the right end, forms the unicorn's head. Thus, the cigar appears as collar on the unicorn's neck.

The main problem I have with accepting your premise is that it's totally built upon the presumption, not a fact, mind you, that C_T represents Connecticut. Note the space between the letters which strongly suggests the abbreviation is two words. The only fact we have for starters is the unicorn image. The way I approached this attribution problem was looking for connections to this one fact.

Searching "unicorn" in newspapers and books, thhe Unicorn Tavern
kept popping up. The fact that it was located in the greater Philadelphia area caught my attention as well; this, given the large number of early c/s's that were punched in that region. Then too, we have the fact of the coins, dated prior to 1840. This fact helps narrow the time during which these were stamped, 1835 to possibly as late as 1850 when the Braided Half Cent had been introduced.

As you pointed out, cigar making was a cottage industry, a mom and pop operation at the time. Taverns were a likely place for these makers to peddle their cigars. Find a Unicorn Cigar factory with an ad image like the one on the coin, in Connecticut mind you, circa 1840 or so, and I'll personally send you a free Unicorn-stamped Half Cent.

Summarily, while I don't wholly dismiss the cigar maker, I see far more circumstantial evidence pointing toward the Unicorn Tavern. Key to this is the noted C_T (Cumberland Turnpike) location as opposed to a nebulous, statewide location.

Meanwhile, I hope you find that Unicorn Cigar Company!

Excellent!