"1789" Token TC-454689 Brass Brooklyn, New York

Coin Details

Description

This brass token dated "1789" is cataloged as TC-454689 in the PCGS token census and originates from Brooklyn, New York. The date in quotation marks indicates this is a commemorative or souvenir piece produced well after 1789, using that historically significant year — the date of George Washington's inauguration as first President and New York's role as the nation's first capital — as a patriotic reference point. Brooklyn in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries was home to numerous token issuers, medal makers, and die sinkers who produced commemorative pieces celebrating the borough's history and its connection to the founding era. Brass was a common choice for souvenir and commemorative tokens, offering an attractive gold-like appearance at modest cost. The TC (Token Catalog) numbering system used by PCGS provides a standardized reference for the thousands of merchant, trade, and commemorative tokens that fall outside the traditional numismatic series. Tokens bearing quoted dates frequently appeared at historical celebrations, centennial events, and expositions where vendors sold patriotic souvenirs to attendees eager to own a tangible connection to the nation's founding moments.

Rarity Notes

Uncommon commemorative token. Exact mintage undocumented but produced in limited quantities for a specific event or celebration in Brooklyn.

Cross References

PCGS #955066; TC-454689