(1825-32) Brass Token Rulau NY-NY 288, Green & Wetmore

Coin Details

Description

Brass merchant token issued by Green & Wetmore of New York City, circa 1825-1832. The firm operated as hardware and iron merchants at the corner of Washington and Vesey Streets in lower Manhattan. The obverse depicts crossed shovels, an anvil with tools, a vise, and a saw — the implements of the hardware trade. The reverse carries the text GREEN & WETMORE / HARDWARE & IRON MERCHANTS / CORNER OF WASHINGTON & VESEY ST. / NEW YORK. These early merchant tokens predate the Hard Times Token era (1832-1844) and represent the earliest phase of American commercial token production. The NY-NY prefix in the Rulau catalog indicates a New York City attribution. Brass, 22mm. Tokens from this period reflect the decentralized commercial economy of the early republic, when individual merchants competed for recognition in rapidly growing American cities. Authentication relies on die characteristics, metal composition analysis, and comparison with known genuine specimens.

Rarity Notes

Rare. Pre-Hard Times era New York merchant token from the 1820s-1830s transition period. Scarcer than the more abundant Hard Times merchant issues. Collected by specialists in early New York City commercial tokens.

Cross References

Rulau NY-NY; PCGS #925051