(1830s) Token HT-383, J. Demuth C/S on U.S. Large cent PA

Coin Details

Auction Record

$8,813 MS66+ 11-14-2014 Heritage Auctions

Description

This counterstamp by J. Demuth was applied to a U.S. large cent, transforming the copper coin into an advertising piece for Jacob Demuth's tobacco shop in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Demuth's establishment, founded around 1770, is one of the oldest tobacco shops in the United States and remains in operation today. Located at 114 East King Street, the shop has served Lancaster's residents and travelers for over two and a half centuries. Jacob Demuth operated his tobacco business during a period when Lancaster was an important inland commercial center and former state capital. The shop sold tobacco products, cigars, and related accessories to a clientele drawn from the surrounding Lancaster County agricultural community as well as travelers on the Philadelphia-to-Pittsburgh turnpike. The Demuth family's longevity in the tobacco trade reflects both the enduring demand for their products and sound business management across multiple generations. The counterstamp on a large cent served as an inexpensive advertising medium. Rather than commissioning custom-struck tokens, Demuth simply punched his name into circulating cents that passed through his shop, ensuring his name traveled with the coin through subsequent commercial transactions. The Lancaster, Pennsylvania attribution makes this one of the relatively few Hard Times era counterstamps from outside the major coastal cities.

Rarity Notes

Scarce. Counterstamp on U.S. large cent. Notable as one of the oldest continuously operating tobacco shops in America.

Cross References

Rulau HT-383, Brunk D-202