(1830s) Token HT-182A, Taunton MA

Coin Details

Description

This white metal token is a composition variant of the Crocker Bros. & Co. copper issue (HT-182) from Taunton, Massachusetts. The Crocker brothers operated a manufacturing firm in one of Bristol County's important industrial towns, leveraging the region's metalworking capabilities for both their primary business and token production. Taunton's industrial character — centered on stove, tack, and hardware manufacturing — made it a natural center for metalworking of all kinds. White metal variants from Massachusetts merchants are consistently scarcer than their copper counterparts, produced in smaller quantities as premium or presentation pieces. The softer white metal alloy shows wear more readily than copper, meaning that specimens in high grades are particularly uncommon. The silvery appearance of white metal tokens distinguished them from the predominantly copper tokens of daily commerce, enhancing their visual advertising impact. The Crocker Bros. two-composition program (copper HT-182 and white metal HT-182A) follows the standard Massachusetts pattern of producing a main copper issue for general circulation alongside a limited white metal variety. The white metal version was distributed to preferred customers or retained as specimens by the firm itself.

Rarity Notes

Scarce. White metal composition variant from Taunton MA. Rarity R-3 to R-4.

Cross References

Rulau HT-182A